The United States is open to exploring a critical minerals partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the State Department said on Sunday, as Kinshasa weighs new investment ties. The talks come as Congo faces ongoing conflict with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.

Congo, home to vast reserves of cobalt, lithium, and uranium, has been in discussions with U.S. officials about a potential minerals-for-security agreement. The proposal, circulating in Kinshasa for weeks, aligns with Washington’s broader push to secure critical minerals for advanced technologies.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. is open to partnerships that support the “America First” economic agenda and aims to boost private sector investment in Congo’s mining sector. However, Kinshasa has not publicly outlined a formal deal, instead emphasizing its goal to diversify foreign partnerships.

Congolese officials, including Deputy Chief of Staff Andre Wameso, have traveled to Washington for discussions. Meanwhile, letters sent by a Congolese senator’s lobbyist to U.S. officials offering a minerals deal in exchange for regional security assistance were not officially endorsed by the Congolese government, sources said.

A planned meeting between a Congolese delegation and the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 6 was cancelled at short notice, though multiple initiatives remain under discussion.

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