US and DRC in talks over mineral rights amid rising tensions
The United States is in discussions with the Democratic Republic of the Congo regarding an agreement for the extraction of key resources, which could bolster support for the government in Kinshasa, reports the "Financial Times".
The DRC, which is rich in copper, cobalt, and uranium reserves, has approached the US with a proposal for an agreement that would grant exploration rights in exchange for support for President Félix Tshisekedi's government.
"Congolese officials hope a minerals deal will shore up support for Tshisekedi as he struggles with armed conflict in the eastern part of the country, where M23 rebels backed by neighbouring Rwanda have captured swaths of mineral rich territory and the two largest cities, Goma and Bukavu," explained the "FT".
The M23 rebels, supported by neighbouring Rwanda, have seized mineral-rich territories as well as the two largest cities, Goma and Bukavu. "The DRC is endowed with a significant share of the world’s critical minerals required for advanced technologies," a State Department spokesperson said in an interview with "FT".
Background of the conflict
The rebellion in the eastern DRC is a consequence of the genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi population by the Hutu in Rwanda during the 1990s. As a result of these events, over 800,000 people lost their lives, and two million Hutu fled to the DRC, leading to further ethnic tensions.
The authorities in Kinshasa accuse the rebels and Rwanda of attempting to seize control of the resource-rich eastern part of the country. The M23 leaders assert that their aim is to protect ethnic minorities from the Kinshasa government, which they accuse of exacerbating tensions between ethnic groups.
