Congo Denounces EU's Rwanda Mining Partnership as ‘Evident Contradiction’

The Democratic Republic of Congo has described the European Union's persistent minerals agreement with Rwanda as showing "evident contradiction" while enforcing significantly wider restrictions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Government Sharp Rebuke

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's foreign minister, called for the EU to implement much stronger restrictions against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the conflict in eastern DRC.

"This demonstrates obvious double standards – I want to be helpful here – that leaves us wondering and concerned about grasping why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to enact sanctions," she emphasized.

Peace Agreement History

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a peace agreement in June, mediated by the America and Qatar, designed to conclude the protracted conflict.

However, lethal incidents on non-combatants have persisted and a time limit to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement was passed without success in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a group of UN experts found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23 insurgent faction and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has continually refuted backing M23 and claims its forces act in national security.

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing militants in the DRC during a international conference attended by both leaders.

"This requires you to command the M23 troops backed by your country to halt this deterioration, which has already resulted in numerous fatalities," the leader emphasized.

EU Sanctions

The EU has enacted measures targeting 32 individuals and two entities – a militant group and a Rwandan gold refiner dealing in unauthorized sources of the metal – for their involvement in fuelling the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the EU executive has resisted demands to suspend a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner labeled the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a situation where it has been verified that Rwanda has been illegally extracting DRC minerals" mined under severe situations of coerced employment, including children.

The United States and various countries have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in mineral resources in eastern Congo, mined via forced labour, then smuggled to Rwanda for shipment to benefit militant factions.

Human Catastrophe

The unrest in eastern DRC remains one of the world's worst emergency situations, with exceeding 7.8 million people forced from homes in affected areas and 28 million facing hunger issues, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN assessments.

Diplomatic Efforts

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner signed the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also attempts to give the United States enhanced entry to DRC minerals.

She asserted that the US remains involved in the peace process and dismissed claims that main concern was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

EU Cooperation

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a summit by declaring that the EU wanted "collaboration based on mutual benefits and respect for sovereignty."

She featured the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – joining the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been eclipsed by the crisis in the troubled region."