Trump scrambles for peace in Africa – and a bonanza of mineral riches

The US president is using his daughter's father-in-law to help bring about a peace deal between Rwanda and Congo - and a possible windfall.

- Fred Harter reports

As Donald Trump finally clinched a minerals deal with Ukraine last month, his officials were thrashing out another, potentially far more lucrative agreement that could unlock trillions of dollars of mineral wealth in Central Africa.

The talks centre on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, aimed at ending nearly three decades of bloody conflict. As part of the discussions, both countries have tentatively agreed to develop their mineral supply chains "in partnership with the US government and US investors".

A final peace deal between Rwanda and Congo, brokered by the father-in-law of President Trump's daughter, Tiffany, could be signed by early June. Both countries will also sign separate bilateral minerals agreements with the US. The details, though, are hazy. Congo’s foreign minister, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, told The Observer the plans are "still in elaboration". "We're all working towards the same objective, but it’s going to take time to make sure we have an agreement that meets the expectations of all parties," she said.

If successful, the fruits of these deals could dwarf the economic benefits the US will reap from its agreement with Ukraine. Although maps show Ukraine possessing abundant supplies of materials essential for producing wind turbines, batteries and lasers, these are based on outdated Soviet-era surveys.

By contrast, Congo is a treasure trove. In addition to vast deposits of copper, diamonds and gold, it has minerals crucial to the tech world, such as lithium and tantalum. Among the most important is cobalt, a lustrous metal added to nearly every rechargeable battery, from iPhones to Teslas. Congo produces roughly 78% of the world’s cobalt. In total, it has more reserves than the rest of the world combined. Currently, nearly all of it goes to China for processing.