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The DRC has described the European Union's continued minerals agreement with Rwanda as exhibiting "clear double standards" while implementing significantly wider restrictions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Government Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's foreign minister, urged the EU to impose significantly tougher measures against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the unrest in Congo's eastern region.

"It represents clear inconsistency – I want to be helpful here – that has us questioning and interested about understanding why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to implement measures," she stated.

Ceasefire Deal Context

The DRC and Rwanda signed a ceasefire deal in June, brokered by the US and Qatar, designed to conclude the decades-old conflict.

However, deadly attacks on civilians have persisted and a time limit to achieve a lasting resolution was missed in August.

UN Report

Last year, a group of UN experts reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "de facto control of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected assisting M23 and asserts its forces act in self-protection.

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing rebel forces in the DRC during a international conference featuring both leaders.

"This requires you to command the M23 troops assisted by your country to stop this escalation, which has already resulted in sufficient deaths," Tshisekedi stated.

International Restrictions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 persons and two entities – a armed faction and a Rwandan precious metals processor handling illegal supplies of the metal – for their involvement in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has declined calls to cancel a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "void of any credibility in a environment where it has been confirmed that Rwanda has been diverting DRC minerals" obtained under brutal conditions of forced labour, involving children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about unauthorized transactions in gold and tantalum in eastern Congo, mined via compulsory work, then trafficked to Rwanda for shipment to benefit armed groups.

Humanitarian Crisis

The unrest in Congo's east remains one of the world's worst human catastrophes, with over 7.8 million people internally displaced in the region and 28 million experiencing nutritional challenges, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN data.

International Engagement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner ratified the accord with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also attempts to give the United States greater access to Congolese natural resources.

She stated that the US remains participating in the resolution efforts and denied allegations that main concern was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

EU Cooperation

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a conference by emphasizing that the EU wanted "partnerships based on shared objectives and respect for sovereignty."

She emphasized the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – joining the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a firm groundwork in the Lobito project, but "much has been diminished by the conflict in Congo's east."