The sad reality is that although the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is blessed with abundant mineral resources — including rare earth minerals worth trillions of dollars — the country seems trapped under a natural resource spell it cannot break.
According to the International Trade Administration, most of the country’s mineral resources remain untapped and are estimated to be worth $24 trillion. However, decades of instability, exploitation, and foreign interference have kept the nation from fully benefiting from its wealth.
The U.S. State Department has confirmed its openness to exploring critical minerals partnerships with the DRC.
“The United States is open to discussing partnerships in this sector that are aligned with the Trump administration’s America First agenda.”
U.S. State Department spokesperson
This announcement follows reports that a Congolese politician reached out to American officials, proposing an agreement that would see U.S. support in exchange for access to the country’s vast mineral reserves.
The DRC is home to some of the world’s most essential minerals, including cobalt, lithium, and uranium — resources vital for the production of advanced technologies. However, the country is also plagued by ongoing conflict, with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seizing large territories this year.
Talks of a potential deal have been circulating in Kinshasa for weeks, fueling speculation about what such a partnership could mean for the DRC’s political and economic future.
The U.S. government has also sought to “boost U.S. private sector investment in the DRC to develop mining resources in a responsible and transparent manner.”
While Kinshasa has yet to publicly outline a concrete proposal, it has expressed a clear desire to diversify its international partnerships. “There is a desire for us to diversify our partners,” government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said last week, noting “daily exchanges” between the DRC and the U.S.
“If today American investors are interested in coming to the DRC, obviously they will find space … DRC has reserves that are available, and it would also be good if American capital could invest here.”
Patrick Muyaya
Sources indicate that Andre Wameso, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Felix Tshisekedi, traveled to Washington earlier this month for talks on a possible partnership.
On February 21, a lobbyist representing Pierre Kanda Kalambayi, the DRC Senate’s Defense Committee Chair, reportedly sent letters to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other American officials. The letters invited U.S. investment in the country’s mineral sector in exchange for assistance in reinforcing “regional stability.” However, Congolese officials clarified that this initiative was not sanctioned by the broader government or the presidency.
Despite this, multiple sources from the DRC’s presidency, the Ministry of Mines, and Washington confirm that discussions are in the early stages. A scheduled meeting between a Congolese delegation and the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on March 6 was abruptly canceled, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the deal.
Conflict Rages as Talks Continue
Even as discussions over a mineral deal unfold, the DRC remains embroiled in intense fighting. On Sunday, M23 rebels and pro-government forces clashed in Nyabiondo, about 100 km north of Goma.
“M23 has taken Nyabiondo since 11 am, following clashes,” said Kipanda Biiri, a local administrative official fleeing the area.“The enemy opened a large-scale assault on Nyabiondo this morning,” added Telesphore Mitondeke, a civil society rapporteur in Masisi, where the town is located.
This latest battle follows clashes last week in Tambi, a village northeast of Masisi, where an overnight attack on March 5 left many civilian casualties. A UN internal memo on Sunday estimated that between 13 and 40 civilians were killed in the attack.
Amid the turmoil, former DRC President Joseph Kabila has reportedly initiated discussions with opposition leaders about the country’s political future. Sources familiar with the outreach claim that Kabila’s camp has been in talks with civil society members, signaling a potential challenge to President Tshisekedi’s leadership.
Tshisekedi and Kabila once shared an uneasy power arrangement after the disputed 2018 election. However, Tshisekedi later moved to weaken Kabila’s influence, accusing him of obstructing reforms. Their relationship deteriorated further last month when Tshisekedi alleged at the Munich Security Conference that Kabila was behind the M23 insurgency.
Kabila remained silent on the accusations until February 23, when he published an op-ed accusing Tshisekedi of violating the constitution, committing human rights abuses, and bringing the DRC to the brink of civil war.
While there is no clear plan for a political transition, sources confirm that Kabila’s conversations with opposition figures are ongoing, adding another layer of uncertainty to an already fragile situation.
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