AVZ Discussion 2022
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Dave Evans
Regular
Seems like a monumental battle going on on X at the moment. Lots of unrelenting posts by AVZ shareholders like Allmet and others, and Kiki doing a fantastic job supporting us as he has done since the beginning.
Today is the 27th February and I’m expecting an announcement at some point saying the ICSID suspension will be extended.
I’ve heard too much bullshit for too long and spent too many hours here every day since the shit started. What’s kept us in the game is the ICC and ICSID. If we get sucked in again and arbitration remains suspended, I doubt I’ll continue to put the effort in, in fact I’ll be fucken spewing because I don’t see the offer we want coming until we put the pressure back on the DRC and US.
Today is the 27th February and I’m expecting an announcement at some point saying the ICSID suspension will be extended.
I’ve heard too much bullshit for too long and spent too many hours here every day since the shit started. What’s kept us in the game is the ICC and ICSID. If we get sucked in again and arbitration remains suspended, I doubt I’ll continue to put the effort in, in fact I’ll be fucken spewing because I don’t see the offer we want coming until we put the pressure back on the DRC and US.
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Samus
Top 20
US expands its tent in Africa with new energy and minerals financing
The U
US expands its tent in Africa with new energy and minerals financing
Segun Adeyemi23 February 2026 07:32 PM
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation has approved a fresh round of strategic investments across Africa, sharpening Washington’s economic focus on critical minerals, energy security, and regional stability.
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) poses for photographs with Rwandan President Paul Kagame (L) and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi after signing a peace accord at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace on December 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. [Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]
- The US DFC has approved a new wave of strategic investments across Africa.
- The funding focuses on critical minerals, energy security, and supply chain resilience.
- Washington says the move strengthens partnerships while advancing US strategic interests.
- The decision comes after Congress raised the agency’s investment ceiling to $205 billion
In a statement released through the Africa Regional Media Hub, DFC Director General Ben Black said the new approvals reflect a “disciplined approach” to advancing US strategic interests while maintaining commercial sustainability.
He added that the agency aims to mobilise public and private capital to strengthen the sovereignty of key African partners and secure access to minerals essential for modern industry.
While the agency did not disclose the value of the individual transactions, the approvals follow a major legislative boost from the US Congress, which recently lifted the DFC’s overall investment cap to about $205 billion.
Lawmakers also authorised a new revolving equity fund intended to expand the agency’s participation in high-impact projects.
Officials said the newly approved financing remains subject to congressional notification and strict oversight to ensure alignment with US growth and national security priorities.
Established in 2019, the DFC has emerged as Washington’s flagship development finance vehicle, with investments spanning health, agriculture, and infrastructure.
The latest approvals underscore the growing geopolitical importance of Africa’s energy and mineral resources as global powers compete to secure resilient supply chains
cruiser51
Top 20
Looks like 10 o'clock 2 rows behind Louis in the light grey shirt, the Kobold rep for the DRC, with a big grin on his face.
cruiser51
Top 20
Franck Fwamba holding Louis' butt.
Xerof
Flushed the Toilet
US forms critical mineral triangle with UAE and DR Congo
By Valentina PasqualiFebruary 25, 2026, 4:26 PM
Artisanal miners work at a cobalt mine in Tulwizembe, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Focus on DRC’s cobalt, copper and tin
- Washington aims to break China’s hold
- Gulf seen as important pillar in effort
Washington is trying to break China’s chokehold on the supply of critical minerals, such as cobalt, as demand for them skyrockets in the era of artificial intelligence. The Gulf is a pillar of this effort as it offers abundant capital, a commitment to economic diversification and plenty of cheap energy, experts said.
The DRC holds most of the world’s cobalt and significant copper and tin reserves, markets long dominated by Chinese operators. Now Washington and Abu Dhabi are stepping in, signing agreements with Kinshasa and each other to expand investment, secure access and coordinate critical minerals supply.
Officials have not clarified whether Washington and Abu Dhabi are actively cooperating or simply moving forward in parallel, but signals point to an emerging triangle of coordination, according to analysts.
“Whether it’s a closed loop is still in question, but I do think that the DRC is definitely one of the African countries that both the US and UAE have been targeting,” said Rachel Ziemba, a strategist in New York.
“And we know the US and the UAE are trying to cooperate in this space.”
Pax Silica, a US initiative to divert semiconductor supply chains away from China, could provide an envelope for such coordination, Ziemba said. In mid-January the UAE became the ninth country to join Pax Silica.
In an email to AGBI, a State Department spokesperson did not address whether there was any open coordination with the UAE.
However, they said the administration welcomed “efforts by US firms and their partners to contribute to the responsible development of the DRC’s mining sector”, calling this “vital for both local economic growth and global supply chains”.
The Emirati embassy in Washington has been contacted for comment.
Web of partnerships
The DRC has traditionally relied on Chinese companies for mining and processing of its cobalt, copper, tin, tungsten and other elements. The US and the UAE are challenging this through a web of partnerships.Washington clinched an agreement with Kinshasa in early December that lists easing “greater investment by US persons and aligned persons” as one of its priorities.
The parties met for the first time on February 5, on the sidelines of a minerals-focused gathering at the State Department. They secured “preferential access” for US companies to DRC mining projects, including a tantalum reservoir in the rebel-controlled east of the country, according to Reuters.
That same week, the UAE and the DRC signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement to enhance trade “in sectors such as precious stones, minerals, mining and agriculture”.
Washington and Abu Dhabi have their own bilateral framework to boost cooperation in the sourcing and processing of critical minerals and rare earths at home and in “other mutually agreed locations”.
This month Abu Dhabi’s AD Ports agreed to develop and operate a multipurpose terminal in Matadi along the Congo river, while a US government agency, the International Development Finance Corp, backed a venture of the DRC’s state-owned miner Gécamines to ship copper cathode to the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
In January the Development Finance Corp decided to co-invest with Abu Dhabi’s International Holding Company (IHC) in critical minerals, energy and other areas of “mutual strategic interest”.
The US agency is also behind the $553 million rehabilitation of a 1,300km railway line that connects Congolese mining sites with Angola’s Lobito port.
Mining revamp
Christopher Ecclestone, a London-based mining strategist at Hallgarten & Company, said Washington was deploying government firepower to revamp mining after letting it fall by the wayside domestically in the past few decades.US officials are taking a page from Beijing’s playbook and embracing an “if you can’t beat them, join them” attitude, Ecclestone said. Orion Critical Mineral Consortium, which is also backed by the Development Finance Corp, is buying a 40 percent stake in Glencore’s DRC assets, he pointed out.
The US and the UAE may not be moving in lockstep, according to Ecclestone, but both have something to gain from their work in the DRC.
“The UAE companies are saying, ‘We will process this stuff out of X country and then we’ll send it to the US’, and the US is thinking ‘Thank God we don’t have to think about that, someone else will do it for us and it’s not the Chinese’.”
Further reading:
- Gulf gets to grips with the new geopolitics of copper
- US pins hopes on Gulf for supply of critical minerals
- Gulf navigates increased US pressure to shut out China
The DRC may secure better terms and support to establish some domestic processing, said Will Adams, head of base metals research at Fastmarkets.
“Nobody wants to be reliant on one big power because you can get pushed around more, so having a bit of competition amongst your suitors is probably not a bad thing,” he said.
Dave Evans
Regular
Most likely done to give Tshisekedi something to brag about and save his arse as there’s been pressure on him from all the reports of his corruption.
The posts above yours Sam, from @Mouthpiecenomnom and @Xerof specifically seems to exclude mentioning lithium, but it specifically keeps repeating AI (think KoBold). Don’t trust KoBold.
I initially replied to @cruiser51 post but then deleted my reply. After thinking it over I decided to repost it….
Behind KoBold’s rep is corrupt CAMI MD Popol Mabolia Yenga and left of him, and front row far right, most probably Zijin reps
ICC Dathomir 5% case pushed back because the ICC arbitration was also suspended and the bitter pill on top of that would be not having a new nominated arbitrator at ICSID.
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THEY WANT THE WEST TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING AND WALK AWAY WITH NOTHING
LINK: https://x.com/Its_ereko/status/2027000963777634674?s=20
LINK: https://x.com/Its_ereko/status/2027000963777634674?s=20
Dave Evans
Regular
Nothing new @SilentOne
Those of us who also had shares in Leo Lithium saw it happen in Mali. The DRC has said for a long time it wants minerals to be processed in country. Somehow Zijin seems like they are going to get away with exporting raw product and CATH are the only ones I’ve heard talk about processing the raw materials in the DRC
Samus
Top 20
Time to spread the AVZ message far and wide as DRC becomes beholden to US for charity and security.
Hopefully they'll have to sack the the board of Cominiere or at least force them to recognise our rights and allow us to sell our assets to a US company.
Management need to capatalise on this moment imo.
It would be really nice to hear from the horses mouth what the fuck is actually happening with the dathomir ICC case. We were supposed to win it late last year. Bare minimum we need this win behind us, I'm dumbstruck they wouldn't have enough funds in reserve to keep this arbitration going regardless whatever else happens.
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Samus
Top 20
I think I remember reading in one of Manono lithiums recent press releases that they plan on also processing lithium carbonate on site and they have an acid plant already set up.
How these fuckers have progressed to this point and Cominiere management remain in place is unbelievable. They've sunk $1b into the asset they stole from us in broad daylight and are supported by the highest levels of DRC government. All court orders ignored, negotiation ignored as far as we know.
There had better not be any further delays to arbitration at this point.
Dave Evans
Regular
Yeah totally agree Sam. The shareholders on X are doing a great job fighting the corruption. Unfortunately I see arbitration continuing to be suspended and if so I’m about done with helping. I’ve got 140 private threads of info I’ve been saving and can’t be bothered continuing wasting my time.
Cominiere’s BOD won’t get the sack. Everything I’ve seen points to them being backed by Tshisekedi and KoBold. No justice over there, look how all the ministers and officials involved just got moved over to other cushy jobs…. Mupande, Antoinette N’Samba, Kizito Pakabomba, Adele Kayinda etc, not one of them ever held accountable. The only person who could be trusted was Jules Alingette (the IGF) and he’s been removed from his position.
What’s kept us going is International Arbitration with the ICC findings feeding into the ICSID. Without them the corrupt fuckers would have won, but because we have international law on our side we have been able to assert our rights.
Unfortunately too many wasted trips overseas getting sucked in by bullshit in my view. Arbitration shouldn’t have been suspended and money should be strictly spent on arbitration. Could have saved overseas trips and kept arbitration going and I might have some incentive to keep fighting, but I’m fast approaching the point of giving up the support.
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Carlos Danger
Top 20
It's actually DRC law that we have on our side
Both ICC and ICSID are international arbitral institutions dealing with Cominiere and DRC Government's violations of DRC laws
ICC: 'APPLICABLE LAW - In accordance with Articles 11.2 (a) and 11.1 (e) of the Amended JV Contract, the applicable law is that of the Democratic Republic Congo'
ICSID: 'Instrument(s) Invoked: Law – Mining Code'
Nigel said at the AGM that we can expect Dathomir 5% decision in March. Do you have any recent whispers regarding this matter being further delayed or were you just referring to the delays thus far?
Dave,
I remember major contributors to this web site jumping up and down because Nigel wasn't in the DRC during COVID, considering that there were severe travel restrictions. The commentary bordered on abuse.
Having worked in Asia, in a somewhat colourful profession I know that you can't trust and believe what you are being told and that Nigel would have been validating what he believed to be the case at any one time by going to the DRC. DRC is not a holiday destination for me that's for sure
I am sure that Nigel would have kept his visits to the DRC to a minimum, also taking into consideration how unsafe and dangerous the place is. Case in point, what they did and tried to do to Graham was an absolute disgrace.
I personally would like to see both the ICC & ICSID restart and followed through. However, I will defer to Nigel and the BOD on most things and congratulate them for getting us to where we are today. Nigel in particular has 50,000,000+ shares and therefore has skin in the game.
Nigel would not be taking a breath without our esteemed lawyers checking the air first.
I think your commentary is somewhat harsh - but I do understand your frustrations.
Regards,
Silent
Carlos Danger
Top 20
Goo goo g'joob imo
Twiggy back in WA after four-month mystery world tour
Dr Forrest arrived back in Australia before Christmas where he completed two weeks quarantine and left for WA on January 3.
January 7, 2021
Twiggy back in WA after four-month mystery world tour
Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest has returned to Western Australia after his four-month mystery world tour.
Since August Dr Forrest has been crisscrossing the globe on the Fortescue Metals Group private jet, meeting with heads of state on the search for renewable energy and minerals deals as well as furthering his philanthropic work with the Minderoo Foundation.
Dr Forrest arrived back in Australia before Christmas where he completed two weeks quarantine before eagle-eyed Sydney aviation photographer Grahame Hutchison spotted him heading back to WA on January 3 giving a non-contact elbow bump to ground crew on the way.
Currently, West Australians returning to the state from NSW must isolate for 14 days but a Fortescue spokesman said Dr Forrest received an exemption from the WA government.
“Fortescue Chairman Dr Andrew Forrest AO undertook a formal supervised 14-day quarantine period in New South Wales. The quarantine period was completed on 3 January 2021 and certified by the NSW Government,” he said.
“Due to having zero contact with any persons, including the supervising police, Dr Forrest received an exemption from the Western Australian state government to return to WA without an additional quarantine period.”
The Fortescue founder and Australia’s richest man based himself out of Croatia to avoid Australia’s strict border controls and quarantine requirements as he visited Europe and the USA as well as troubled nations including Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, the Congo, Kenya and Ethiopia.
At the AGM in November, it was revealed Dr Forrest intended to visit 47 countries in a hunt for renewable energy projects for FMG’s renewable energy arm Fortescue Future Industries.
Dr Forrest started his trip in Papua New Guinea and then Indonesia where he signed non-binding agreements with both countries for multi-billion dollar renewables projects.
They then travelled to Afghanistan where Dr Forrest met Vice-President Amrullah Saleh, who had been targetted in a terrorist bombing in Kabul the day before.
The rest of Dr Forrest’s itinerary has been kept largely secret but in mid-December, Fortescue announced it had signed an MOU with Japanese industrial giants Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Iwatani Corporation to scratch out a business model to supply liquid hydrogen into Japan.
Dave Evans
Regular
I understand where you are coming from @SilentOne and you’re doing a great job putting information on here and supporting the company (which also includes supporting other shareholders).
I wasn’t referring to Nigel’s trips to the DRC, Belgium etc when he was negotiating the MOU (more than a year ago now) but getting led on by Kizito Pakabomba and the other DRC parties involved. And I was never critical of him not being in the DRC during Covid. I doubt that would have made any difference.
I was referring to more recent trips to the US. Anyone thinking KoBold or the US is trying to help us seems to be believing their bullshit and not following the information. The US is only in it for themselves, and what I read about Nigel’s talks in Washington was that he was asked to sell our project to KoBold, not any US company.
This is what I mean by more bullshit, the conflicting info you read comes from so called reputable sources such as Reuters, Bloomberg and really in depth reports from sources like discoveryalert.com.au.
You can’t trust Bloomberg’s news and Michael Bloomberg is a billionaire major shareholder of KoBold. A lot of what you can tell about KoBold is in what they omit as well as in their actions.
KoBold have been negotiating with and sucking up to the DRC and Cominiere for over a year. They know Roche Dure is at the top of the US State Department’s critical minerals list and they reckon they told Tshisekedi to grant us the Exploitation License.
They are as bad as Mupande, Kibeya, Tshisekedi etc. Like I said, I’ve got 140 private threads on all the bullshit and I’m sick of AVZ getting sucked in by their false narrative and actions. Got to answer Carlos now and then I think I’ll sign off for the day
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