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The DRC has labeled the European Union's persistent minerals agreement with Rwanda as showing "obvious contradiction" while implementing significantly wider penalties in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's international affairs chief, urged the EU to impose much stronger restrictions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the violence in Congo's eastern region.

"It represents obvious hypocrisy – I strive to be helpful here – that has us curious and interested about grasping why the EU continues to hesitate so much to enact sanctions," she emphasized.

Ceasefire Deal Context

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the United States and Qatar, aiming to conclude the protracted hostilities.

However, fatal assaults on ordinary citizens have continued and a target date to reach a comprehensive peace agreement was not met in August.

International Findings

Last year, a international assessment team 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 repeatedly rejected supporting M23 and claims its forces act in self-defence.

Leadership Call

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

"This demands you to order the M23 troops supported by your country to stop this deterioration, which has already caused sufficient deaths," Tshisekedi stated.

International Restrictions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 people and two groups – a militant group and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility handling contraband materials of the metal – for their role in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these determinations of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the EU executive has rejected requests to terminate a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner labeled the agreement with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a situation where it has been confirmed that Rwanda has been siphoning off DRC minerals" obtained under harsh circumstances of compulsory work, affecting children.

The United States and various countries have raised concerns about illicit commerce in gold and tantalum in Congo's eastern region, mined via compulsory work, then smuggled to Rwanda for international trade to finance militant factions.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in Congo's east remains one of the world's worst human catastrophes, with over 7.8 million people relocated within country in the region and 28 million experiencing hunger issues, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's chief diplomat, Wagner signed the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also seeks to give the United States expanded opportunity to Congolese natural resources.

She asserted that the US remains involved in the peace process and rejected claims that main concern was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

EU Cooperation

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a summit by emphasizing that the EU wanted "partnerships based on common interests and honoring independence."

She featured the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – connecting the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's ocean access.

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