Critical minerals at UN: DRC slams inaction against Rwandan army, pushes for peace-driven governance
- Security
Critical minerals at UN: DRC slams inaction against Rwandan army, pushes for peace-driven governance
The Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation rich in some of the world’s most critical minerals, took center stage at a high-level United Nations meeting in New York on Tuesday, July 14, to address the governance challenges of minerals essential for the global energy transition.
The Congolese delegation was led by Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Francophonie, and Congolese Abroad, alongside members of the DRC’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
In her address, the Foreign Minister emphasized that for the DRC, the issue of critical minerals transcends mere economic considerations. Highlighting the situation in the country’s eastern region, she pointed to Rubaya, a major coltan mining hub, as a stark example.
“For countries like mine, this is no longer just a development issue. Illegal exploitation weakens state authority, erodes sovereignty, and can lead to violations of territorial integrity. The case of Rubaya is telling. Its mines supply about 15% of global tantalum demand. According to a UN Group of Experts report, at least 1,400 tonnes of coltan were smuggled into Rwanda in the first year after being seized by the M23—a group armed and backed by Rwanda—generating roughly $800,000 per month for the rebel faction,” she stated.
The Minister also condemned the lack of UN sanctions against Rwanda’s Defence Forces despite documented evidence from UN experts.
“Despite these damning findings, Rwanda’s Defence Forces remain unlisted under UN sanctions. This reflects both a failure to apply existing tools and a broader flaw in the international architecture that often confines the governance of natural resources to the realm of development—even when illicit exploitation fuels armed conflict, undermines sovereignty, and violates territorial integrity,” she declared.
During its current presidency of the UN Security Council, the DRC has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a framework that directly links the governance of natural resources to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.
“This is why the Democratic Republic of Congo is advocating, during its Security Council presidency, for a more coherent approach connecting natural resources to conflict prevention, international peace and security, and shared prosperity. We welcome the Secretary-General’s guiding principles and concrete recommendations, but these principles will only matter if they translate into measurable change on the ground,” she noted.
The Foreign Minister further stressed the need for more balanced partnerships with critical mineral-producing countries. She called for shared responsibility across all actors in the mineral value chain.
“Partnerships must go beyond securing access to raw materials. They should support local and regional value addition, infrastructure, technology transfer, skills development, industrialization, access to financing, and market access. Responsibility must extend across the entire value chain—it cannot end at the mine’s gate. Producers, traders, processors, financial institutions, manufacturers, and consumer countries must all share this responsibility,” she argued.
On the issue of traceability, the Minister stressed that it must effectively combat fraud and armed group financing without penalizing legitimate artisanal miners.
“Traceability must curb fraud, smuggling, and conflict financing without excluding legitimate artisanal producers, creating new market barriers, or placing the full burden of compliance on producing countries. This initiative sits at the crossroads of the Sustainable Development Goals: clean energy, decent work, industrialization, responsible production, climate action, strong institutions, and global partnerships,” she explained.
The Foreign Minister concluded by underscoring that the success of the global energy transition should not be measured solely by industrial output but also by its impact on the lives of people in resource-rich countries.
“Progress toward one goal must never come at the expense of another. Ultimately, the success of the energy transition will not be measured by the number of batteries, electric vehicles, or wind turbines produced. It will be measured by whether the countries, workers, and communities whose resources make this transition possible are safer, more sovereign, and more prosperous because of it,” she emphasized.
These remarks come amid a strategic partnership between the DRC and the United States on critical minerals, as well as the Washington Agreement signed between Kinshasa and Kigali. The agreement includes de-escalation measures, the gradual withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory, and the neutralization of armed groups operating in eastern DRC—particularly the FDLR, which Kigali considers a security threat. Despite this diplomatic framework, widely praised at its signing, the security situation remains fragile. On the ground, the Doha process, facilitated by Qatar to mediate between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 rebellion, remains stalled.
The AFC/M23 rebels, accused by Kinshasa, the UN, and several international partners of being backed by Rwanda, continue to control key cities such as Goma and Bukavu, along with several other localities in North Kivu and South Kivu. Clashes persist in various zones, while diplomatic efforts struggle to yield lasting results. This situation once again highlights the persistent gap between announced diplomatic progress and the reality on the ground.
Clément Muamba
