KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo – Congolese minerals such as tungsten, tantalum and tin, which Kinshasa has long accused neighbouring Rwanda of illegally exploiting, could be exported legitimately to Rwanda for processing under the terms of a peace deal being negotiated by the U.S., three sources told Reuters.
Kinshasa views the plundering of its mineral wealth as a key driver of the conflict between its forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo that has intensified since January, accusing Kigali of smuggling tens of millions of dollars worth of minerals over the border each month to be sold from Rwanda.
Washington is pushing for a peace agreement between the two sides to be signed this summer, accompanied by minerals deals aimed at bringing billions of dollars of Western investment to the region, Massad Boulos, U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters earlier this month.
He said on X last week that the U.S. had provided the first draft of a deal to both sides, though its contents have not been disclosed.
Two diplomatic sources and one U.N. source briefed by U.S. officials told Reuters that the negotiations could lead to minerals from what are now artisanal mining zones in eastern Congo being refined and marketed from Rwanda.
“Their (Washington’s) point of view is simple: If Rwanda can legitimately benefit from Congo’s minerals through processing, it will be less tempted to occupy its neighbour and plunder its minerals,” one of the diplomats said.
“And for Congo, industrialisation would increase its revenues, improve traceability, and combat the armed groups that currently live off the miners.”
A government spokesperson for Congo, which has long said it wants to move away from raw exports and towards local processing, referred questions to the foreign ministry, which did not respond.
A Congolese official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said no cooperation on minerals could happen without the withdrawal of Rwandan troops and “their proxies”, a reference to M23, which controls more territory than ever in eastern Congo.
The official said Rwanda would also need to respect “our sovereignty over everything, including our minerals.”
For Rwanda, the negotiations could bring a massive inflow of cash that could help it clean up what has until now been a largely illicit sector of its economy. The U.S., for its part, would be able to secure for itself and its allies deeper access to Congolese mineral assets that are dominated by China. – Reuters
