Resource Matters Annual Report 2018-2020
This first activity report marks the beginning of Resource Matters’ work to address a fundamental paradox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a country of immense mineral and energy wealth in which much of the population still sees few of the benefits. From 2018 to 2020, Resource Matters laid the foundations of an approach centered on rigorous research, practical advocacy, and close collaboration with Congolese civil society.
Electricity
During these first years, the organization focused on two sectors of critical importance for the country’s future: energy and mining, while also making anti-corruption work a central cross-cutting priority. In energy, Resource Matters launched Mwinda pona Congo, the first phase of what would later become Congo Epela. Working with academic partners including the University of Cape Town, the Reiner Lemoine Institute, and KTH in Stockholm, the organization identified the best available data, selected electrification modeling tools, conducted household demand surveys, and began building an evidence base for least-cost electrification solutions across the country. A cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Energy’s project coordination unit also helped anchor this work institutionally.
At the same time, Resource Matters invested heavily in supporting Congolese civil society organizations through the Mwangaza network. Across several provinces, partners monitored hydropower and electricity projects and used their findings to advocate for greater transparency, better planning, stronger community protections, and more equitable access to electricity. This included work on major projects such as Inga III, Busanga, Budana, Zongo I and II, and Ruzizi, as well as growing engagement with provincial authorities and public debate on electrification policy.
Mining
In the mining sector, Resource Matters helped launch Makuta ya Maendeleo, a consortium dedicated to improving the collection, allocation, and use of mining royalties intended for decentralized local entities. Early research highlighted major governance gaps and proposed concrete regulatory solutions to ensure mining revenues better support local development.
Corruption
Across this work, the fight against corruption remained a constant thread. Through the Congo Is Not for Sale coalition, Resource Matters contributed to campaigns, investigations, and analysis on opaque mining contracts, Dan Gertler’s role in the sector, corruption risks in cobalt supply chains, and governance concerns around Gécamines.
Taken together, the years 2018–2020 were formative ones: they established Resource Matters as an organization combining scientific rigor, strategic advocacy, and deep partnerships with Congolese actors to help ensure that the country’s natural resources serve its people.
[Full report only available in French]