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The Democratic Republic of Congo has described the European Union's continued minerals agreement with Rwanda as exhibiting "obvious contradiction" while implementing far more extensive sanctions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's international affairs chief, demanded the EU to implement significantly tougher measures against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the unrest in eastern DRC.

"It represents obvious inconsistency – I strive to be helpful here – that makes us questioning and interested about understanding why the EU continues to hesitate so much to take action," she emphasized.

Conflict Resolution History

The DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in June, brokered by the US and Qatar, aiming to end the decades-old hostilities.

However, deadly attacks on non-combatants have endured and a target date to achieve a final settlement was missed in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a group of UN experts found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 insurgent faction and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has consistently denied assisting M23 and maintains its forces act in self-defence.

Diplomatic Request

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to armed groups in the DRC during a European gathering featuring both leaders.

"This necessitates you to command the M23 troops assisted by your country to stop this intensification, which has already resulted in enough deaths," the president declared.

European Measures

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 persons and two groups – a armed faction and a Rwandan precious metals processor processing contraband materials of the metal – for their participation in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the EU executive has resisted calls to suspend a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner described the agreement with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a situation where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off African wealth" obtained under severe situations of forced labour, involving children.

The United States and numerous nations have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in gold and tantalum in DRC's east, mined via forced labour, then smuggled to Rwanda for international trade to benefit rebel organizations.

Human Catastrophe

The violence in Congo's east remains one of the world's worst human catastrophes, with more than 7.8 million people internally displaced in eastern DRC and 28 million confronting hunger issues, including 4 million at critical stages, according to UN assessments.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner ratified the agreement with Rwanda at the US presidential residence in June, which also aims to give the United States enhanced entry to Congolese natural resources.

She stated that the US remains engaged in the resolution efforts and denied suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

International Collaboration

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a gathering by emphasizing that the EU wanted "collaboration based on shared objectives and honoring independence."

She emphasized the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – linking the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "significant aspects has been eclipsed by the situation in Congo's east."