DR Congo probing agreement with the US
The Democratic Republic of Congo is seeking a new partnership with the US, as threats from advancing M23 rebel forces continue.
DR Congo is planning to take advantage of the US new, mineral-oriented, foreign policy, said the BBC on March 12th, as Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya confirmed his intentions of striking a deal for the US to access Congolese resources, in a deal that would involve “talk[ing] about security”.
Reports have also emerged of Trump appointing the father-in-law of his daughter to a role in the region
This comes as DR Congo is having trouble curtailing the M23 militia’s advances in the mineral-rich eastern part of the country. Its military forces have failed to hold back the separatists’ offensive, which is due to continue until they reach the Congolese capital Kinshasa, as per the group’s propaganda.
According to The New York Times on February 22nd, President Tshisekedi of DR Congo said that the US administration had expressed interest in a partnership involving the country’s mineral reserves.
A day before, the Africa-USA Business Council reportedly wrote to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to engage talks about a possible deal involving an “economic and military partnership”.
According to the latest estimations, $24 trillion-worth of natural resources could be sitting under Congolese land, mostly cobalt, gold and copper.
Cobalt, in particular, is already a key resource for the electric car and space industry.
With most of the Congolese exports of the mineral going to China, it is no surprise the US is interested in securing part of the Congolese reserves as a potential trade war against China looms.
The authorities are themselves having trouble regulating the mining activities of Chinese companies, as endemic corruption has plagued the sector.
There could be “a widening strategic gap, where adversarial nations continue to monopolise Africa’s resources”, the letter to Rubio said.
The letter says “strengthening military co-operation” was one of the key area the strategical partnership could include, with training and equipping soldiers, and putting US troops on ground.
A US Department of State spokesperson said that there was “nothing to preview or announce at this time”, but that the US is ‘open to discussing partnerships in [the non-fuel minerals] sector”.
BBC, The New York Times, Maghrebi
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