Browsing: Conflict minerals

• President Felix Tshisekedi is inviting the U.S. to directly purchase critical minerals from Kinshasa, instead of buying “looted” and “smuggled” minerals from Rwanda.
• Rwanda is under immense pressure from the UN, the U.S., the EU, the UK to cease and withdraw their support for M23 rebels.
• In a 2022 update, UNEP notes that DRC has around 3.5 million metric tonnes of cobalt, making it home to one of the largest reserves of this vital resource.

The escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken a new twist with President Felix Tshisekedi inviting the U.S. to directly purchase critical minerals from Kinshasa instead of buying “looted” and “smuggled” minerals through Rwanda.

In a statement on Sunday, Tina Salama, who is the spokesperson of President Tshisekedi, called out Rwanda, noting that the neighboring country has for long been involved in looting and smuggling of vital mineral resources from the …