Mwana Nanga Mawampanga, the finance minister, was apparently sympathetic and so, according to Mr Boulle, was the minister of mines.

ECONOMIST: Mining in Congo

One of the first was Jean Ramon Boulle, Canadian head of American Mineral Fields and a former De Beers employee.

ECONOMIST: Zaire

Because its sister company, De Beers for which Mr Boulle used to work runs the international diamond cartel, it has fallen foul of America's antitrust laws.

ECONOMIST: Mining in Congo

Mr Boulle flew to Kinshasa and lobbied Mr Kabila's ministers.

ECONOMIST: Mining in Congo

But Victor Mpoyo, the minister of the economy and a member of Mr Kabila's inner circle, wanted to reopen the contract, claiming that Mr Boulle had only a letter of intent.

ECONOMIST: Mining in Congo

Mr Boulle's former employers have not fared so well.

ECONOMIST: Zaire

Study leader Dr Andrew Boulle of the University of Cape Town said that, given the continued reliance on nevirapine-based regimens in Africa and the importance of TB services in initiating people on HIV therapy, further research was warranted.

BBC: TB hampers HIV treatment - study

Mr Boulle's efforts were in vain.

ECONOMIST: Mining in Congo