DRC Condemns EU's Mineral Deal with Rwanda as ‘Obvious Hypocrisy’

The Democratic Republic of Congo has labeled the European Union's persistent minerals deal with Rwanda as demonstrating "clear hypocrisy" while enforcing significantly wider restrictions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Government Sharp Rebuke

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the African nation's international affairs chief, demanded the EU to implement much stronger restrictions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the unrest in Congo's eastern region.

"It represents clear double standards – I want to be constructive here – that has us questioning and concerned about understanding why the EU again struggles so much to take action," she stated.

Ceasefire Deal Background

The DRC and Rwanda signed a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the US and Qatar, intending to resolve the long-standing dispute.

However, deadly attacks on ordinary citizens have endured and a deadline to achieve a final settlement was not met in August.

Expert Assessment

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

Rwanda has continually refuted assisting M23 and asserts its forces act in self-defence.

Presidential Appeal

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

"This demands you to order the M23 troops assisted by your country to end this intensification, which has already caused numerous casualties," the president declared.

International Restrictions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 people and two entities – a rebel organization and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility handling contraband materials of the metal – for their role in fuelling the conflict.

Despite these determinations of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the EU executive has declined demands to suspend a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a situation where it has been established that Rwanda has been diverting African wealth" obtained under brutal conditions of forced labour, including children.

The United States and numerous nations have expressed alarm about illicit commerce in precious metals in DRC's east, mined via compulsory work, then illegally transported to Rwanda for international trade to finance rebel organizations.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in Congo's east remains one of the world's worst emergency situations, with over 7.8 million people relocated within country in affected areas and 28 million experiencing nutritional challenges, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN reports.

Diplomatic Efforts

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner approved the accord with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also seeks to give the United States expanded opportunity to African wealth.

She asserted that the US remains participating in the diplomatic negotiations and rejected allegations that sole motivation was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

International Collaboration

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a conference by emphasizing that the EU wanted "cooperation based on common interests and honoring independence."

She emphasized the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – connecting the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "much has been diminished by the crisis in Congo's east."