Thousands of miles away in southeastern Congo, lower global demand for cooper prompted Chinese mines to close.
Unfortunately, Congo does not have an economic stimulus plan.
Chinese mining companies flee, leaving workers in the lurch
In Katanga province, the copper-rich belt in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 40 Chinese-run mines have been abandoned due to lowering global demand for copper. The city of Lubumbashi, as well as miners and their families, have suffered in their absence, according to the Congolese human rights group ACIDH.
"During the economic crisis in November, many Chinese mining companies in Katanga Province have left the region," Emmanuel Ompuna, the Executive Director of ACIDH, told RFI.
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