The Democratic Republic of Congo’s leader, President Felix Tshisekedi, reached out to the Trump administration with an offer that could alter the battlefield in eastern Congo: exclusive access to some of the world’s most wanted minerals in exchange for help fighting Rwanda-backed rebels, M23.
Congo’s offer comes as M23 rebels have seized the two largest cities in eastern Congo and vast swaths of mineral-rich land, worsening the country’s ongoing conflict.
Desperate Bid for Help Against Rwanda-Backed Forces
President Tshisekedi has grown increasingly worried as M23 rebels threaten to overthrow his government.
The proposal asks for American military training, equipment, and direct security help in exchange for giving U.S. firms operational control and “exclusive extraction and export rights” to Congo’s vast mineral wealth.
The U.S. State Department told Reuters on Sunday it was "open to discussing partnerships in this sector that are aligned with the Trump administration's America First Agenda."
Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya acknowledged the talks, saying: “There is a wish for us to widen our partners. If today American investors are keen on coming to the DRC, obviously they will find space.”
War Tangle Grows as Rwanda Gets European Backing
The deal talks compound the conflict in central Africa, where Rwanda continues to get backing from European countries despite widespread evidence of its role in the Congo war.
While the U.S. imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s former army chief last month, European powers have kept their ties with Rwanda’s government, which denies backing M23 despite UN findings to the contrary.
Multiple UN reports have accused Rwanda of exploiting the conflict to plunder Congo’s resources including gold and coltan for mobile phones.
UN officials say Rwanda has sent thousands of troops across the border to help M23 fighters.
The conflict is bringing in other neighboring armies, raising fears of a return to the wider regional war that claimed millions of lives two decades ago.
China’s Grip on Congo Minerals Faces U.S. Test
A deal with the U.S. would upend China’s hold on Congo’s mining sector.
Chinese firms control most large mining operations in Congo, which holds 70% of the world’s cobalt along with vast stores of copper, lithium, and uranium.
"While China has historically dominated mineral supply chains in the DR Congo, the recent policy shift from President Tshisekedi presents a rare opportunity for the US to establish a direct and ethical supply chain," noted the letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
No major American mining firm has worked in Congo since Freeport-McMoRan sold its stake in the Tenke Fungurume copper mine in 2016.
Minerals Deal Faces Steep Hurdles Amid Crisis
Getting a deal done won't be easy. Joshua Walker, program director for the Congo Research Group, explained: "For the DRC, this would likely involve lengthy, tricky renegotiations of mining contracts, while it is hard to see the Trump administration being able to rally US investors."
The bid for U.S. help seems born from weakness as Tshisekedi’s grip on power grows shaky. “It reads like an act of worry,” said Indigo Ellis, managing director at JS Held, referring to the minerals deal idea.
Domestic politics adds to the imbroglio. Officials from former president Joseph Kabila’s party were called to appear before a military prosecutor on Monday, a sign of growing tensions. Tshisekedi has accused Kabila of backing the same M23 rebels that Rwanda supports.
Meanwhile, many Congolese wonder whether foreign help will ever come.
“Congo DR has suffered a lot,” wrote one commenter on the Mining.com website. “Why not help end the suffering and give support in that regard[?] Your promise for military support is what is fueling the war in that nation.”
Whether Trump gets another minerals is a mere distraction. Any minerals deal is not going to save the DRC country from M23’s advances whilst the U.S., Europe, and other East African countries look away.
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Bukavu Falls to M23 in Eastern Congo
Congo Crisis Escalates as M23 Eye Up More Territory
Chaos in the Congo: The Fall of Goma
