Key points:
- US open to mineral talks
- Congo seeks security support
- China dominates current supply
THE United States has expressed openness to exploring a critical minerals partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a statement given to Reuters by the US State Department. The potential deal follows a pitch from a Congolese senator offering access to the country’s vast mineral wealth in exchange for support in stabilising the region.
Congo seeks diverse partners amid security crisis
The DRC, home to some of the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, lithium, and uranium—key resources for advanced technologies—has been grappling with armed conflict. Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized significant territories this year, exacerbating instability. Amid these challenges, Kinshasa has been actively seeking diversified partnerships beyond its traditional allies.
‘There is a desire for us to diversify our partners,’ government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said last week. He confirmed that ongoing discussions with the US involve ‘daily exchanges’ as Congo looks to attract American investment. ‘If today American investors are interested in coming to the DRC, obviously they will find space,’ Muyaya added.
US aligns talks with ‘America First’ agenda
A spokesperson for the State Department told Reuters that the US is willing to discuss mineral partnerships in line with President Donald Trump’s America First agenda. ‘The DRC holds a significant share of the world’s critical minerals required for advanced technologies,’ the spokesperson said.
The US is already working to boost private sector investment in Congo, aiming to develop its mining sector in a responsible and transparent manner, the official added. However, Kinshasa has yet to release details of any formal proposal, saying only that it is interested in broadening its investment base.
Behind-the-scenes negotiations
Sources told Reuters that Andre Wameso, deputy chief of staff to Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, travelled to Washington earlier this month to explore potential partnerships. Meanwhile, letters from a lobbyist representing Congolese Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi were sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials, inviting US investment in Congo’s mineral sector in exchange for supporting ‘regional stability’.
Despite these i
nitiatives, two Congolese officials clarified that the senator’s proposal was not officially endorsed by the government. Nonetheless, multiple discussions are reportedly underway between Kinshasa and Washington, although they remain at an early stage.
Challenges for US involvement in Congo
Congo’s mineral supply chains are currently dominated by China, a point raised by Jason Stearns, a Congo expert at Canada’s Simon Fraser University. He told Reuters that the US faces significant hurdles in entering the sector, noting that unlike China, the US lacks state-owned mining companies and currently has no private American mining operations in the DRC.
‘If the Congolese want to make this work, it will probably not be by offering a US company a mining concession,’ Stearns said. ‘They’ll have to look at more complicated ways of engaging the US.’
Talks ongoing but uncertain
Although a Congolese delegation had been scheduled to meet with the US House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 6, the meeting was cancelled at short notice, according to two sources cited by Reuters. Despite this, the concept of a minerals-for-security partnership continues to generate interest in Washington.
