Release Of French Expatriate Abducted For Two Months In Eastern DRC

The Namoya mining site in the eastern DRC province of Maniema. 

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a French expatriate abducted in early March in the east of the country has regained freedom. In a statement, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the release on Sunday (May 28th), as did the Congolese authorities who contributed.

The Elysée confirms the information that was broadcast on the night of Saturday to Sunday 28 May by the communications officer of the Congolese Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Interior, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

This French national, whose first name is Philippe, works for the Canadian gold mining group Banro. He was kidnapped in Maniema, a rich mining area in eastern DRC, along with Congolese and Tanzanian colleagues who are also free according to the ministry.

According to the Congolese Ministry of the Interior, Philippe was released Saturday afternoon in Salamabila, still in this province of Maniema. He was allegedly abducted by an armed group that is not officially given any details at this time.

However, on the reasons for the kidnapping, according to the ministry, the local population accused Banro of not respecting its commitments to the use of local labor and the granting of a part Of its concession to artisanal miners.

Abductions of foreigners working for mining companies are relatively frequent in eastern DRC. Motivations are usually financial or related to local frustrations.

In the case of the Banro employee, his captors had allowed him to communicate by telephone with journalists three weeks after his abduction. He had described, in this interview, very harsh living conditions in the forest, but he said he was well treated.