US struggling to de-risk Congo's 'war zone minerals' even after pact, sources say
The U.S. has made progress in its push to prise Congo's strategic minerals from China's orbit, but conflict, contested licences and compliance demands are still slowing Washington's advance into a region its rival dominates, diplomats and industry officials said.
Democratic Republic of Congo, which hosts the world's largest cobalt supply and rich copper and lithium reserves, is central to the U.S. push to cut the West's reliance on China for rare minerals.
After the U.S. and Congo signed a minerals pact in December, Kinshasa last month handed Washington a 44-project shortlist spanning copper, cobalt, lithium, tin, gold and hydrocarbons, Reuters reported.
The U.S.–Congo partnership is meant to unlock investment, the U.S. State Department said, and support implementation of a peace deal Washington brokered between Congo and Rwanda, which Kinshasa has accused of supporting M23 rebels fighting Congolese troops in its east.
But several of the shortlisted assets sit in politically fraught zones or carry permitting disputes, making quick, reliable mining deals unlikely, said the sources, who include Congolese government and mining officials. They asked not to be named because the discussions are sensitive.
CONGO SLOWING DEALS, SOURCE SAYS
One U.S. diplomat said Kinshasa is deliberately slowing new deals to push Washington to increase pressure on M23 before any further steps are taken. Reuters could not independently verify the claim.
The Congolese government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On background, a senior government official described the allegations as "speculation".
"The agreement has its own rhythm: a period for receiving offers, a period for negotiation," the official said. Rwanda, which denies backing M23, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The U.S. State Department told Reuters the U.S. remains "deeply concerned" by violence in eastern Congo and is pushing regional partners to reinforce the ceasefire, urging Rwanda to end M23 support and withdraw in line with December's peace deal.
The department said Washington hopes to see swift progress on key deals, including a proposal for Glencore to sell copper and cobalt assets to the U.S.-backed Orion consortium, U.S.-based Virtus Minerals’ bid for Congo-focused Chemaf, and the extension of the Lobito Corridor railway line.
Kinshasa's inclusion on the shortlist of the Rubaya mine, which supplies about 15% of global coltan and sits under M23/AFC control, signals Congo wants stronger U.S. action on M23, said Joshua Walker of NYU's Congo Research Group.
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