During a United Nations Security Council session, Beijing called on the global community to tackle the underlying causes of the protracted conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), emphasizing that the illegal extraction of mineral wealth remains a core driver of instability across the Great Lakes region.
Chinese Permanent Representative Ambassador Fu Cong pointed out that the fighting in eastern DRC persists alongside a resurgence of Ebola, further compounding the security and humanitarian crisis. He stressed that collective international action is needed to reverse the deteriorating trend as quickly as possible.
The Chinese envoy insisted that the economic roots of the conflict must be addressed comprehensively and without delay.
“The root causes must be tackled thoroughly. The DRC’s abundant natural resources should be the foundation for national development, but they are being looted by armed groups and trafficked, fueling the conflict,” Fu Cong said on June 26 at the UN headquarters.
From Beijing’s perspective, improving governance in the mining sector is a crucial step toward peace. Fu Cong stated that China backs regional states in their push for transparent and inclusive mining cooperation to break the cycle of illicit trade.
He also urged the Security Council to boost its support for regional initiatives, saying that the Council should help regional organizations and mechanisms strengthen transparency and traceability in the export of these resources.
The ambassador called on external actors to adopt a more cooperative approach.
“Major powers from outside the region should refrain from treating natural resources as a bargaining chip in settling regional problems. We must promote open cooperation that is not zero-sum, so that the people can benefit from the development and exploitation of natural resources,” he underlined.
The war and instability that have plagued eastern DRC for over three decades are closely tied to economic predation. Armed groups, including the AFC/M23, control strategic mining sites such as Rubaya, feeding an illicit mineral trade with neighboring countries. Congolese authorities say this deprives the state of substantial tax revenues and hampers the economic development of the eastern provinces. Kinshasa has long argued that the conflict is essentially an “economic war” waged by Rwanda through what it calls proxies, an accusation Kigali consistently denies.
To help resolve the crisis, the United States brokered the Washington Agreement between the DRC and Rwanda. That pact aims to address both security concerns and the economic issues tied to resource extraction. However, implementation has been sluggish, with Kinshasa and Kigali each accusing the other of failing to honor commitments, while interpreting several clauses differently.
A similar situation surrounds the Doha process, led by Qatar to foster direct dialogue between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23. Despite several rounds of talks, concrete progress remains limited, and the security situation on the ground is largely unchanged.
