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The Democratic Republic of Congo has characterized the European Union's continued minerals deal with Rwanda as exhibiting "clear hypocrisy" while enforcing much broader restrictions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister's Firm Condemnation

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's international affairs chief, called for the EU to impose significantly tougher measures against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the unrest in Congo's eastern region.

"It represents clear hypocrisy – I want to be productive here – that leaves us questioning and interested about understanding why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to enact sanctions," she declared.

Conflict Resolution Context

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a peace agreement in June, brokered by the United States and Qatar, designed to conclude the long-standing hostilities.

However, deadly attacks on ordinary citizens have endured and a target date to achieve a lasting resolution was passed without success in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a United Nations panel reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has continually refuted assisting M23 and claims its forces act in national security.

Diplomatic Request

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently appealed to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to militants in the DRC during a Brussels event including both leaders.

"This demands you to command the M23 troops supported by your country to halt this deterioration, which has already led to enough fatalities," the president declared.

International Restrictions

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 individuals and two organizations – a armed faction and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility dealing in contraband materials of the metal – for their involvement in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has declined requests to suspend a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Mineral Issues

Wagner characterized the agreement with Rwanda as "void of any credibility in a environment where it has been verified that Rwanda has been diverting DRC minerals" mined under harsh circumstances of forced labour, affecting children.

The United States and many others have expressed alarm about illegal trade in gold and tantalum in DRC's east, extracted via compulsory work, then smuggled to Rwanda for international trade to finance armed groups.

Human Catastrophe

The violence in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises, with over 7.8 million people relocated within country in affected areas and 28 million experiencing hunger issues, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN data.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner ratified the agreement 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 peace process and rejected suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

International Collaboration

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a gathering by stating that the EU wanted "cooperation based on shared objectives and acknowledging autonomy."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – connecting the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner recognized that the EU and DRC had a strong foundation in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been diminished by the conflict in the troubled region."