**Kinshasa**: The Democratic Republic of Congo has proposed exclusive access for US companies to its critical minerals and infrastructure. This move coincides with ongoing military challenges from Rwandan-backed rebels. President Tshisekedi seeks a partnership that could boost both nations’ economies while addressing security needs.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached out to the United States with a proposal that seeks to establish exclusive access for American companies to its critical minerals and infrastructure projects. This overture is made in the context of the DRC’s ongoing struggle against a rebellion that has been linked to support from neighbouring Rwanda. The communication was directed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and highlights the DRC’s urgent need for security assistance.
The DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi has requested an immediate meeting with Donald Trump to discuss a potential pact that would allow American enterprises to exploit the DRC’s rich endowment of minerals essential for energy transitions. An Africa-US business group advocating for Congo’s interests noted in their letter that “as the world’s largest supplier of cobalt and a major producer of lithium, tantalum and uranium, the DRC’s resources are integral to US industrial competitiveness and national security.” They further stated that this partnership “presents a unique opportunity for the United States to establish a reliable and exclusive supply chain.”
The backdrop to this initiative comes as Tshisekedi grapples with increasing military pressures from the Rwandan-backed rebels who have captured a significant portion of the mineral-rich eastern regions of the country. The US State Department has indicated a willingness to explore potential partnerships in the minerals sector, acknowledging that they “will strengthen both US and DRC economies.” However, tangible agreements may take time to manifest; the previous administration under Joe Biden faced challenges in engaging US firms over concerns regarding corruption, environmental degradation, and labour practices within the DRC.
Joshua Walker, program director for the Congo Research Group at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation, indicated that any agreement would necessitate complicated and protracted negotiations concerning mining contracts, particularly given the current administration’s capacity to attract US investors. Furthermore, he expressed uncertainty about whether the Trump administration would devote substantial resources towards addressing the Rwandan conflict.
The letter proposing the deal was part of a series of communications sent last month to key US officials, offering a model reminiscent of the Trump administration’s earlier minerals-for-security proposals with Ukraine, which recently collapsed. The DRC’s mining sector, which ranks as the world’s second-largest source of copper, is predominantly overseen by Chinese enterprises. A partnership with the US could enable Tshisekedi to reduce Chinese influence and enhance economic connections with Western nations, according to the lobbying group.
In exchange for US involvement, the DRC is offering operational control and “exclusive extraction and export rights” to American companies. Additionally, the proposal includes participation in a planned deep-water port along the Congo’s Atlantic coast and the creation of a joint strategic mineral stockpile. In return, the US would provide military training and equipment, access to military bases, and direct security assistance to bolster the DRC’s armed forces, aimed at protecting strategic resources.
The letter, which was registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, was sent by lobbyist Aaron Poynton of the Africa-USA Business Council on behalf of Pierre Kanda Kalambayi, the chair of the DRC Senate’s Committee on Defense, Security and Border Protection. Other key officials were also recipients of similar letters, including Republican Senator Ted Cruz, those involved in the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and House Representative Rob Wittman, who oversees the House Critical Minerals Policy Working Group.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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