🔗 Share this article

The DRC has labeled the European Union's persistent minerals partnership with Rwanda as exhibiting "obvious contradiction" while enforcing significantly wider sanctions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Foreign Minister's Firm Condemnation

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the African nation's foreign minister, demanded the EU to impose significantly tougher sanctions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the violence in Congo's eastern region.

"This shows clear inconsistency – I aim to be constructive here – that has us curious and inquisitive about understanding why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to implement measures," she stated.

Conflict Resolution Background

The DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in June, mediated by the US and Qatar, aiming to conclude the decades-old dispute.

However, deadly attacks on non-combatants have endured and a deadline to reach a comprehensive peace agreement was missed in August.

UN Report

Last year, a international assessment team stated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23 and claims its forces act in self-protection.

Presidential Appeal

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently called upon his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to rebel forces in the DRC during a Brussels event including both leaders.

"This requires you to command the M23 troops assisted by your country to stop this intensification, which has already caused numerous deaths," the leader emphasized.

EU Sanctions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 individuals and two groups – a rebel organization and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility processing unauthorized sources of the metal – for their participation in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has rejected demands to suspend a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner labeled the partnership with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a environment where it has been confirmed that Rwanda has been diverting African wealth" extracted under severe situations of coerced employment, including children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about illicit commerce in precious metals in eastern Congo, mined via forced labour, then illegally transported to Rwanda for export to support militant factions.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in eastern DRC remains one of the world's worst human catastrophes, with more than 7.8 million people internally displaced in affected areas and 28 million experiencing nutritional challenges, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

International Engagement

As the DRC's chief diplomat, Wagner ratified the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also aims to give the United States greater access to DRC minerals.

She stated that the US remains participating in the peace process and dismissed suggestions that primary interest was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

International Collaboration

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a summit by stating that the EU wanted "collaboration based on mutual benefits and acknowledging autonomy."

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

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "much has been diminished by the situation in the troubled region."