Congo eyes U.S. investment deal in critical minerals by end of June

Officials in Congo are hopeful that ongoing negotiations with the United States will yield a landmark investment agreement in critical minerals, alongside a peace deal with Rwanda to end a deadly rebellion in eastern Congo, by the end of June.

Officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo are expressing confidence that a dual agreement with the United States - encompassing both strategic investment in critical minerals and U.S.-brokered support for a peace deal with Rwanda - could be finalized by the end of June, according to a Financial Times report published on Sunday.

Key Congolese minerals such as tin, tantalum, and tungsten - resources Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of smuggling - may be exported legally to Rwanda for processing as part of the peace framework currently under U.S. negotiation, Reuters reported last week.

Sources close to the negotiations told FT that a minerals investment deal with Washington, along with a separate peace accord with Kigali, could be signed by late June. However, significant obstacles still remain, the report noted.

DRC’s Minister of Mines, Kizito Pakabomba, emphasized that a partnership with the United States would help reduce the nation’s heavy reliance on China in developing its mineral sector. “An agreement with the U.S. would help diversify our partnerships,” he said.

The Congolese government blames the ongoing conflict in its eastern provinces on the illegal exploitation and smuggling of its minerals, accusing Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group and profiting from tens of millions of dollars in illicit exports each month.

Massad Boulos, senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump and a key figure in the negotiations, stated earlier this month that Washington is pushing for a peace accord between Kinshasa and Kigali this summer, potentially unlocking billions of dollars in Western investment for the region’s mineral-rich economy.

Responding to the developments, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo reiterated Rwanda's security stance, stating that its defensive operations along the DRC border would remain necessary “as long as threats and insecurity persist.”

The U.S. State Department has not yet responded to requests for comment on the ongoing talks.

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