DRC's minerals, Rwanda's leverage

Rwanda eyes minerals in Eastern DRC, using M23 as leverage to gain economic, geopolitical, and regional security influence.

- TRISHALA SANCHETI

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda recently signed a peace deal, brokered by the United States, in order to end the decades-long conflict in the Eastern Congo region while helping the Americans gain access to critical minerals in the region.

DRC is home to 10% of global copper reserves and accounts for over half of the global cobalt reserves.

DRC is also a significant producer of diamonds, gold, manganese, and tantalum.

The Eastern Congo region, consisting of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Tanganyika, Haut-Lamami, and Maneima, is rich in high-value minerals like coltan, gold, tin, and tantalum, which are critical for electronics and clean energy.

However, this region has long been in conflict, with various armed factions vying for control.

The most prominent armed faction in the region is M23, whose primary area of operations is North Kivu, with operations extending to South Kivu.

M23, formed in 2012, is composed of ethnic Tutsis who seized Goma, the largest city in North Kivu; however, they were defeated by the Congolese Army and the UN force, and promises were made to integrate M23 fighters into the Congolese army.

However, the group took up arms against the Congolese Army in 2021, accusing the Congolese Army of not keeping the promises made to the group, and recently made gains in the Eastern Congo, capturing mineral-rich areas, which has helped them generate finances for war through taxation, illicit mining, and exports.