The DRC is corrupt from top to bottom, and from bottom to top
The DRC is run by a bunch of kleptocrats headed by the Tshisekedi family trust
Successive DRC leaders and ministers have allowed China to systematically loot the DRC of its mineral riches for decades
The DRC is broke
The DRC is the most aid-dependent nation on earth
Seventy five percent of the DRC population lives in poverty
The DRC is already on the hook for 39.1 million euros ($AU68 million) in ICC penalties
The DRC is facing an eye-watering $9 billion damages claim in the ICSID, which kicks off in just two months
The DRC military is unable/unwilling/unprepared to confront M23 and other rebel groups, and the risk of a military coup remains high
The DRC wants the US to provide security in return for access to its new-age minerals, including Manono
The DRC has to clean up its mess surrounding the illegal expropriation of AVZ's tenement at Manono, and grant Dathcom its rightful mining licence before any security deal can be negotiated.
The clock is ticking for the DRC to reach a deal with AVZ, not the other way around...oh, and don't expect any bro-love discounts. This time you pay full fare.
Tick, tick, tick...just 61 days to go.
Cheers
F
AVZ Discussion 2022
- Thread starter GazDix
- Start date
Dijon101
Regular
As KoBold and the US don't have to pay as much for Manono if we don't see the legal action through to finalisation.
Dijon101
Regular
Also interesting, first we had dathomir which is the sith home planet. Now we have to deal with Kobalds which are little shits from the d&d universe.
Dungeons & Dragons:
Appearance: Kobolds are described as small, hairless humanoids with small horns.
Nature: They are depicted as aggressive, tribal creatures who live in dark forests or subterranean settings.
Skills: They are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes, and mining.
Little shits the lot of them.
Dungeons & Dragons:
Appearance: Kobolds are described as small, hairless humanoids with small horns.
Nature: They are depicted as aggressive, tribal creatures who live in dark forests or subterranean settings.
Skills: They are noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes, and mining.
Little shits the lot of them.
lellep
Regular
Much rather deal with the small hairless humanoids than the greedy corrupt sith politicians from Dathomir mate
PutUsernameHere
Regular
"finfluencers" they're fucking idiots.
PutUsernameHere
Regular
@ $50 I'm ordering a care package direct from Columbia
Spikerama
Regular
Actually I think the titular reference in this case probably stems more from the Kobolds in the World of Warcraft, who are the rat like humanoids that dwell in, and incessantly mine the caves of the Eastern Kingdoms for gold.
If you've played it, you may remember first encountering them in the tunnels just south of the town Goldshire.
@$50 im BUYING Columbia!@ $50 I'm ordering a care package direct from Columbia
Azzler
Top 20
You no take candle!!!
Mute22
Regular
Mr Boulos just received a promotion to Senior Advisor for Africa. 
Perhaps to give him additional diplomatic agency.
I thought his meeting in the DRC was supposed to be yesterday? This article and the above promotion announcment states he is traveling to the DRC from Thursday.
www.semafor.com
Boulos is set to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda starting Thursday with the aim of advancing peace talks in the eastern DR Congo and promoting US investments in the region.
The Australian Article stated Monday:
Mr Boulos, the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany and his adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, is set to arrive in Kinshasa on Monday, in hopes of striking a critical minerals pact with the DRC in return for security.
Perhaps to give him additional diplomatic agency.
I thought his meeting in the DRC was supposed to be yesterday? This article and the above promotion announcment states he is traveling to the DRC from Thursday.
Trump’s daughter’s father-in-law named senior adviser for Africa
Massad Boulos is set to travel to Africa to advance peace talks in the eastern DR Congo this week.
Boulos is set to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda starting Thursday with the aim of advancing peace talks in the eastern DR Congo and promoting US investments in the region.
The Australian Article stated Monday:
Mr Boulos, the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany and his adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, is set to arrive in Kinshasa on Monday, in hopes of striking a critical minerals pact with the DRC in return for security.
Re: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/perthbased-avz-minerals-congo-lithium-hopes-hinge-on-us-envoys-talks/news-story/8ef1498e0d201415a5c0286718bac360
Although this article is behind a paywall, you can still read the full article.
1. copy the article's URL
2. open https://archive.md/
3. plug the copied URL into the site's search bar, and enter
4. read the full article courtesy of News Corp.
Or bypass steps 1-4, and simply read the full article below.
A US special envoy is scheduled to arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo for talks crucial to Australian minerals company AVZ’s hope of regaining control of a lithium project.
Brad Thompson
2 min read
March 30, 2025 - 7:36PM
Congolese police officers line up for redeployment following an enrolment of civilians. Picture: AFPUS special envoy Massad Boulos is due to arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo for talks crucial to an Australian minerals company’s hope of regaining control and then on-selling a disputed lithium project now in the sights of Rio Tinto.
AVZ Minerals, whose shares were delisted in 2024, has its own representative heading to Kinshasa based on apparent US support for its claim over the disputed Manono lithium project. The Perth-based company has been exploring selling its Manono interest to KoBold Metals, whose backers include billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
Mr Boulos, the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany and his adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, is set to arrive in Kinshasa on Monday, in hopes of striking a critical minerals pact with the DRC in return for security.
Dr Massad Boulos is due to conduct talks in the DRC’s capital, Kinshasa. Picture: Getty ImagesThe move risks antagonising China, which has a significant mining presence in the DRC.
AVZ and KoBold representatives want to nail down a deal on the future of the southern portion of the Manono deposit from the talks starting on Tuesday. If all goes well, AVZ could on-sell the Manono interest for up to $US1.5bn ($2.38bn) plus a royalty. But there is no assurance of any outcome, favourable or otherwise.
A deal will depend on the US standing up for AVZ’s legal claim over Manono, which AVZ has separately tried to assert through international justice. It is understood California-based KoBold wants to see AVZ “appropriately compensated” for Manono.
KoBold chief executive Kurt House is expected to meet both President Felix Tshisekedi and Mr Boulos in Kinshasa.
The Australian broke the news of Washington’s unlikely advocacy for AVZ, whose DRC asset has been compared to the world-leading Greenbushes lithium mine in WA.
AVZ maintains it has rights to all of Manono even though the DRC has split the licence and allowed Chinese mining giant Zijin to forge ahead with development in the northern half.
Manono boasts an 842 million tonne resource at 1.61 per cent lithium oxide and is split into two geographically distinct northern and southern deposits. The southern part alone, sometimes referred to as Roche Dure, holds a 669 million tonne resource.
The US has indicated it is willing to back AVZ retrieving the southern licence to minimise antagonising China.
KoBold first cast its eye over the southern part of the deposit last October. It was invited to assess the disputed project by DRC-owned mining company Cominiere, which is involved in a legal battle over the asset with AVZ.
Rio, which is betting big on lithium, has since had talks with the DRC about the future of Manono and there is speculation it could join forces with KoBold in any development.
AVZ was valued at $4.6bn before a dispute over the Manono licence destroyed its fortunes. It maintains the DRC acted illegally by taking over its permit spanning the whole of Manono and then awarding the northern portion to a Zijin subsidiary in September 2023.
AVZ broke its silence on the talks with KoBold this month after scoring a legal victory in its battle with the DRC and Zijin.
An international arbitration court in Paris ordered Cominiere to pay AVZ a penalty of €39.12m ($67m) plus interest in the bitter dispute. The ICC awarded the penalty against Cominiere because it ignored previous emergency orders.
The US wants any sale by AVZ to not be complicated by residual links to China’s CATL – the world’s biggest electric vehicle battery manufacturer, which in January provided $20m in funding to AVZ to help the company finance the legal battle for Manono. It is understood both the US and KoBold favour a change of ownership based on the DRC and AVZ discontinuing legal action.
Although this article is behind a paywall, you can still read the full article.
1. copy the article's URL
2. open https://archive.md/
3. plug the copied URL into the site's search bar, and enter
4. read the full article courtesy of News Corp.
Or bypass steps 1-4, and simply read the full article below.
Saved from |
|
30 Mar 2025 10:25:24 UTC | |
Redirected from | no other snapshots from this url |
All snapshots | from host www.theaustralian.com.au |
|
Perth-based AVZ Minerals’ Congo lithium hopes hinge on US envoy’s talksA US special envoy is scheduled to arrive in the Democratic Republic of Congo for talks crucial to Australian minerals company AVZ’s hope of regaining control of a lithium project.
Brad Thompson
2 min read
March 30, 2025 - 7:36PM
Congolese police officers line up for redeployment following an enrolment of civilians. Picture: AFP
AVZ Minerals, whose shares were delisted in 2024, has its own representative heading to Kinshasa based on apparent US support for its claim over the disputed Manono lithium project. The Perth-based company has been exploring selling its Manono interest to KoBold Metals, whose backers include billionaires Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
Mr Boulos, the father-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany and his adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, is set to arrive in Kinshasa on Monday, in hopes of striking a critical minerals pact with the DRC in return for security.
Dr Massad Boulos is due to conduct talks in the DRC’s capital, Kinshasa. Picture: Getty Images
AVZ and KoBold representatives want to nail down a deal on the future of the southern portion of the Manono deposit from the talks starting on Tuesday. If all goes well, AVZ could on-sell the Manono interest for up to $US1.5bn ($2.38bn) plus a royalty. But there is no assurance of any outcome, favourable or otherwise.
A deal will depend on the US standing up for AVZ’s legal claim over Manono, which AVZ has separately tried to assert through international justice. It is understood California-based KoBold wants to see AVZ “appropriately compensated” for Manono.
KoBold chief executive Kurt House is expected to meet both President Felix Tshisekedi and Mr Boulos in Kinshasa.
The Australian broke the news of Washington’s unlikely advocacy for AVZ, whose DRC asset has been compared to the world-leading Greenbushes lithium mine in WA.
AVZ maintains it has rights to all of Manono even though the DRC has split the licence and allowed Chinese mining giant Zijin to forge ahead with development in the northern half.
Manono boasts an 842 million tonne resource at 1.61 per cent lithium oxide and is split into two geographically distinct northern and southern deposits. The southern part alone, sometimes referred to as Roche Dure, holds a 669 million tonne resource.
The US has indicated it is willing to back AVZ retrieving the southern licence to minimise antagonising China.
KoBold first cast its eye over the southern part of the deposit last October. It was invited to assess the disputed project by DRC-owned mining company Cominiere, which is involved in a legal battle over the asset with AVZ.
Rio, which is betting big on lithium, has since had talks with the DRC about the future of Manono and there is speculation it could join forces with KoBold in any development.
AVZ was valued at $4.6bn before a dispute over the Manono licence destroyed its fortunes. It maintains the DRC acted illegally by taking over its permit spanning the whole of Manono and then awarding the northern portion to a Zijin subsidiary in September 2023.
AVZ broke its silence on the talks with KoBold this month after scoring a legal victory in its battle with the DRC and Zijin.
An international arbitration court in Paris ordered Cominiere to pay AVZ a penalty of €39.12m ($67m) plus interest in the bitter dispute. The ICC awarded the penalty against Cominiere because it ignored previous emergency orders.
The US wants any sale by AVZ to not be complicated by residual links to China’s CATL – the world’s biggest electric vehicle battery manufacturer, which in January provided $20m in funding to AVZ to help the company finance the legal battle for Manono. It is understood both the US and KoBold favour a change of ownership based on the DRC and AVZ discontinuing legal action.
Last edited:
Maybe Mr Boulos knows. He's Senior Advisor for Arab, Middle East and Africa now...
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