🔗 Share this article

The Democratic Republic of Congo has characterized the European Union's continued minerals deal with Rwanda as demonstrating "evident contradiction" while enforcing significantly wider penalties in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Diplomatic Sharp Rebuke

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's top diplomat, demanded the EU to implement far more severe sanctions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the unrest in Congo's eastern region.

"This demonstrates clear hypocrisy – I strive to be constructive here – that has us questioning and concerned about comprehending why the EU again struggles so much to enact sanctions," she declared.

Peace Agreement Context

The DRC and Rwanda signed a conflict resolution in June, mediated by the United States and Qatar, intending to end the protracted conflict.

However, fatal assaults on non-combatants have continued and a target date to establish a comprehensive peace agreement was passed without success in August.

UN Report

Last year, a United Nations panel reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has continually refuted supporting M23 and asserts its forces act in self-protection.

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to stop supporting militants in the DRC during a Brussels event attended by both leaders.

"This necessitates you to order the M23 troops supported by your country to halt this intensification, which has already led to sufficient fatalities," Tshisekedi stated.

International Restrictions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 individuals and two groups – a militant group and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility handling contraband materials of the metal – for their involvement in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these conclusions of rights violations by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has rejected requests to suspend a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Mineral Issues

Wagner described the agreement with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a environment where it has been established that Rwanda has been diverting DRC minerals" mined under severe situations of compulsory work, involving children.

The United States and many others have raised concerns about illicit commerce in precious metals in DRC's east, obtained via forced labour, then smuggled to Rwanda for international trade to finance rebel organizations.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in eastern DRC remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with exceeding 7.8 million people internally displaced in the region and 28 million confronting hunger issues, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN assessments.

Diplomatic Efforts

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner ratified the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also aims to give the United States greater access to African wealth.

She asserted that the US remains involved in the resolution efforts and rejected suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

EU Cooperation

The Brussels chief, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a conference by declaring that the EU wanted "cooperation based on mutual benefits and acknowledging autonomy."

She emphasized the Lobito corridor – rail, road and water transport links – linking the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's ocean access.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a firm groundwork in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been overshadowed by the crisis in Congo's east."