Faith Nyasuguta
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is racing to finalize a landmark minerals agreement with the United States by the end of June, in a strategic move to attract U.S investment and curb growing Chinese dominance in its resource-rich mining sector.
According to senior Congolese officials, the proposed deal is part of a wider effort by Washington to regain influence in Congo’s mining landscape, one that has been largely controlled by China over the past two decades. The U.S. is eyeing the DRC’s vast reserves of critical minerals like cobalt, copper, and coltan, resources vital to electric vehicles, smartphones, and green energy technologies.
For Kinshasa, the partnership is not just about investment. Officials say the deal could also help galvanize U.S. support in confronting the persistent security crisis in eastern Congo, where a rebellion linked to neighboring Rwanda has destabilized the region for years. The M23 rebel group, reportedly backed by Kigali, has seized key towns and is accused of exploiting mineral-rich areas to fund its operations.
Congo’s mining minister, Kizito Pakabomba, told the Financial Times that the partnership would “diversify our partnerships” and reduce dependence on Chinese companies, which have long controlled mining logistics, processing, and exports in the DRC. China’s reach extends from small-scale artisanal trading posts to major corporations like CMOC, a Shanghai-based giant operating in Congo’s copper belt.
Beijing’s grip was further solidified in 2008 when it signed a multibillion-dollar minerals-for-infrastructure deal with Kinshasa, giving it unmatched access to Congo’s resource wealth. Now, the DRC is seeking to pivot westward, opening up new avenues for trade, investment, and strategic cooperation.
The proposed U.S. deal may also have ripple effects across Central Africa. Officials say it could encourage regional collaboration on the export and processing of critical minerals, potentially involving Rwanda, long accused of smuggling minerals out of eastern Congo. Although President Paul Kagame’s government has denied supporting M23, sources familiar with the talks claim Rwanda sees the deal as an opportunity to legitimize its stake in the region’s mineral trade.
Kinshasa, however, remains firm: any future cooperation must follow the return of control over territories lost to rebel forces, including the key cities of Goma and Bukavu. Until then, Congo is playing a careful balancing act,inviting new allies while fighting to reclaim its ground.
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