Omanghana
The United States has imposed sanctions on Gasabo Gold Refinery Ltd, a Kigali-based gold refinery, accusing the company of processing and laundering conflict gold illegally smuggled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The sanctions were announced on June 25, 2026, by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as part of Washington’s ongoing efforts to disrupt illicit mineral supply chains that finance armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
Refinery and Executives Targeted
Under the new sanctions, all U.S.-based assets belonging to the designated entities and individuals are frozen, while American individuals and businesses are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
Those sanctioned include:
- Gasabo Gold Refinery Ltd, which U.S. authorities identified as the central hub for laundering conflict gold.
- Jean Malic Kalima, the refinery’s chairman.
- Bosco Kayobotsi, the refinery’s general manager.
- Three mining companies linked to Kalima: Bugambira Mines, Wolfram Mining and Processing, and Rwinkwavu Mining Corporation.
Alleged Conflict Gold Supply Chain
According to the U.S. Treasury, investigators uncovered what they described as a coordinated network involving the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and elements of the Rwanda Defense Force (RDF).
Officials allege that the operation follows a structured supply chain designed to move conflict gold from eastern Congo into international markets.
The Treasury claims that gold is first extracted from M23-controlled territories in South Kivu before being transported across the border into Rwanda’s Rusizi District by road or air under armed protection.
Once inside Rwanda, investigators allege the gold is delivered to Gasabo Gold Refinery in Kigali, where it is refined into bullion suitable for export into legitimate global markets.
According to U.S. authorities, the network trafficked at least 60 kilograms of gold during the early months of 2026, generating millions of dollars in value.
Part of Broader U.S. Regional Strategy
The sanctions form part of a wider U.S. strategy aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in Central Africa’s critical minerals sector.
Washington says the measures are intended to support implementation of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, a regional peace framework brokered by the United States in December 2025. One of the agreement’s central objectives is the creation of transparent and verifiable mineral supply chains to prevent armed groups from profiting from the region’s natural resources.
Rwanda Yet to Respond
The Rwandan government had not issued an immediate response to the latest U.S. sanctions at the time of the announcement.
However, Kigali has previously rejected similar international measures targeting its mining sector, including earlier sanctions imposed by the European Union on Gasabo Gold Refinery. Rwandan authorities have consistently described such actions as politically motivated and lacking impartiality.
The latest sanctions underscore growing international scrutiny of mineral supply chains in the Great Lakes region as global demand for gold and other strategic minerals continues to rise.
Source: Omanghana
