US, DR Congo close to minerals deal in exchange for security

An agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the US - granting broad access to the country’s natural resources for American investors in exchange for US security assistance may be finalized as early as this summer.

A resource deal between DRC and the US, along with a potential peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, could be signed by the end of June, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

However, significant hurdles remain on the path to both agreements. Congolese authorities are linking the two deals and have made it clear they will not move forward with the resource agreement with the US unless Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern DRC and Kigali halts its support for the M23 rebel group.  

One of the key figures involved in the negotiations, President Donald Trump’s Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, delivered a draft of a proposed peace agreement between DRC and Rwanda to both governments in April. Boulos—whose son is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany - is now working to organise the next round of peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda, set to take place in Washington in the coming week. 

Commenting on the resource deal with the US, DRC’s Minister of Mining, Kizito Pakabomba, said that the agreement would help "diversify [DRC’s] network of partners" and reduce the country’s heavy reliance on China. Currently, China holds a dominant position in the DRC’s raw materials sector.

By Naila Huseynova