🔗 Share this article

The DRC has described the European Union's persistent minerals deal with Rwanda as demonstrating "obvious hypocrisy" while imposing much broader penalties in response to the Ukrainian crisis.

Government Sharp Rebuke

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the African nation's international affairs chief, called for the EU to implement much stronger sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the conflict in DRC's eastern territories.

"This demonstrates clear double standards – I aim to be productive here – that has us wondering and concerned about understanding why the EU continues to hesitate so much to implement measures," she emphasized.

Conflict Resolution Context

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the US and Qatar, designed to conclude the long-standing conflict.

However, lethal incidents on ordinary citizens have persisted and a deadline to establish a lasting resolution was passed without success in August.

International Findings

Last year, a United Nations panel stated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 rebel group and that the Rwandan military was in "de facto control of M23 operations."

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

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently appealed to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing armed groups in the DRC during a international conference featuring both leaders.

"This demands you to instruct the M23 troops supported by your country to stop this escalation, which has already resulted in numerous fatalities," the leader emphasized.

International Restrictions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 individuals and two organizations – a militant group and a Rwandan gold refiner handling unauthorized sources of the metal – for their role in fuelling the conflict.

Despite these findings of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has declined requests to terminate a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "void of any credibility in a situation where it has been verified that Rwanda has been siphoning off Congolese resources" mined under brutal conditions of coerced employment, involving children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about unauthorized transactions in precious metals in Congo's eastern region, mined via compulsory work, then illegally transported to Rwanda for international trade to benefit rebel organizations.

Humanitarian Crisis

The conflict in Congo's east remains one of the world's gravest human catastrophes, with more than 7.8 million people forced from homes in eastern DRC and 28 million experiencing hunger issues, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

International Engagement

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner ratified the deal with Rwanda at the American administration in June, which also attempts to give the United States expanded opportunity to Congolese natural resources.

She maintained that the US remains involved in the peace process and dismissed suggestions that main concern was the DRC's significant natural resources.

EU Cooperation

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a conference by emphasizing that the EU wanted "cooperation based on common interests and respect for sovereignty."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – linking the mineral heartlands of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

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