{"id":2407914,"date":"2025-02-28T12:26:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T17:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congo-pitches-minerals-deal-to-trump-after-embrace-of-ukrainian-deal\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T12:33:03","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T17:33:03","slug":"congo-pitches-minerals-deal-to-trump-after-embrace-of-ukrainian-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congo-pitches-minerals-deal-to-trump-after-embrace-of-ukrainian-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"Congo pitches minerals deal to Trump after embrace of Ukrainian deal"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcongo-pitches-minerals-deal-to-trump-after-embrace-of-ukrainian-deal%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2407914&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi&#8217;s efforts to secure \u200dU.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-breaks-filibuster-clearing-key-hurdle-in-advancing-95-billion-foreign-aid-package\/\" title=\"Senate clears filibuster, advancing B foreign aid package\">support amid ongoing conflict<\/a> in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As the country faces an insurgency from rwandan-backed M23 rebels,Tshisekedi is proposing a lucrative \u2062mineral deal to the \u2063U.S., leveraging Congo\u2019s vast\u2062 mineral resources, including copper, diamonds, gold, and cobalt. <\/p>\n<p>While the international \u2064focus remains on the war in Ukraine, Tshisekedi is trying to highlight the\u2064 DRC&#8217;s mineral \u200cwealth as a means to gain U.S. backing against the M23 \u2063group, which has\u200c been gaining ground in the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">mineral-rich eastern provinces<\/a>.\u2063 His spokeswoman emphasized\u200d that U.S.companies should purchase minerals directly from Congo rather of sourcing them through Rwanda,\u200b where \u2064they\u200c are frequently enough illegally \u200dmined and exported. <\/p>\n<p>Congo controls a\u200c significant portion of the global supply of critical minerals used in electronics, making the proposed \u2062deal appealing to the U.S.,\u2062 especially given China\u2019s \u200bmonopolization in this market. Additionally, the \u200darticle mentions recent U.S. sanctions against Rwandan officials connected with the M23 group,\u200b marking a shift in U.S. policy towards Rwanda, which has historically maintained a favorable standing in \u2062the\u200c West. <\/p>\n<p>Despite international \u2063condemnation, Rwanda has allegedly intensified its\u200c military \u200coperations\u2062 in support of M23, and there \u200dare concerns about the\u200d escalating conflict&#8217;s \u200dimpact \u2064on the region&#8217;s stability\u2064 and civilian population. The U.S. appears to\u200c be reconsidering its relationship with Rwanda,amid pressures to support Congo\u2019s right to its mineral wealth in the face of external \u200cexploitation.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Congo pitches minerals deal to Trump after embrace of Ukrainian deal<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2023021\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Democratic Republic of the Congo\">Congolese<\/a> President Felix Tshisekedi is hoping to earn U.S. support for his country&rsquo;s fight against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/rwanda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Rwanda\">Rwandan<\/a>-backed rebels with a lucrative mineral deal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>While the eyes of the world are focused on the war in Ukraine, Congo is fighting an expanding insurgency in the country&rsquo;s east against the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group, which has been on the offensive for the past month. Eyeing the critical mineral deal President Donald Trump is striking with Ukraine, Tshisekedi is hoping to use his country&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/china-moves-to-take-over-afghanistan-copper-and-rare-earth-mineral-mining\/\" title=\"China Moves to Take Over Afghanistan Copper and Rare Earth Mineral Mining\">vast mineral wealth<\/a> to earn U.S. support.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Former members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and police officers who allegedly surrendered to M23 rebels arrive in Goma, Congo, on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. (AP Photo\/Moses Sawasawa)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3316403\/why-war-breaking-out-congo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Why is war breaking out in the Congo?\">WHY IS WAR BREAKING OUT IN THE CONGO?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;President Tshisekedi invites the USA, whose companies source strategic raw materials from Rwanda, materials that are looted from the [Democratic Republic of Congo] and smuggled to Rwanda while our populations are massacred, to purchase them directly from us the rightful owners,&rdquo; Tshisekedi spokeswoman Tina Salama&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TinaSalama2\/status\/1893634155004477697\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote on X<\/a> earlier this week.<\/p>\n<p>She added that the offer was expanded to Europe as well.<\/p>\n<p>Tshisekedi is banking a significant amount on a possible deal. According to a Feb. 20 filing under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-confidential.com\/article\/id\/15371\/tshisekedi-inks-lobbying-deal-to-bag-minerals-deal-with-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"viewed by\">viewed by<\/a> <em>Africa Confidential<\/em>, Kinshasa hired U.S. lobbyists on a $1.4 million, yearlong contract to deliver &ldquo;strategic engagements to advance defense security and critical mineral diplomacy with the United States government.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Despite being one of the poorest countries on Earth, Congo is one of the most mineral-rich. The country produces significant amounts of copper, diamonds, gold, and cobalt, making up over 80% of the world&rsquo;s production of the latter. Of particular interest to the U.S., Congo produces significant amounts of 3T minerals &mdash; tin, tungsten, and tantalum &mdash; minerals used in virtually all consumer electronics.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3316403\/why-war-breaking-out-congo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"growing war\">growing war<\/a> in the country&rsquo;s east is believed to be largely driven by critical minerals in the mineral-rich provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, the capitals of which have been seized by M23. Rwanda, a landlocked country roughly one-89th the size of Congo, has utilized Congolese minerals to heavily boost its economy.<\/p>\n<p>A United Nations <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.un.org\/en\/s\/2024\/969\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"report\">report<\/a> found that 150 tons of coltan, a vital resource used in smartphones and other electronics, were &ldquo;fraudulently exported to Rwanda and mixed with Rwandan production.&rdquo; Congo estimates that Kigali is earning $1 billion in annual revenue from the smuggled metals, a massive amount for a country with a $13.3 billion GDP.<\/p>\n<p>Tshisekedi&rsquo;s proposed minerals deal is likely to particularly interest the U.S. due to China&rsquo;s monopoly on Congolese mineral production. <a href=\"https:\/\/ssi.armywarcollege.edu\/SSI-Media\/Recent-Publications\/Article\/3938204\/china-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-a-new-dynamic-in-critical-mineral\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"According to\">According to<\/a> the U.S. Army War College, Chinese state-owned enterprises control 80% of Congolese cobalt production. The monopoly extends to refining cobalt, with Chinese enterprises controlling between 60% and 90% of cobalt refineries. China relies on this cobalt for many growing industries, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-pitches-4-trillion-spending-plans-and-refocusing-us-auto-industry-around-electric-vehicles\/\" title=\"Biden Pitches  Trillion Spending Plans And Refocusing US Auto Industry Around Electric Vehicles\">electric vehicle production<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/02\/22\/world\/africa\/congo-rwanda-tshisekedi-interview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"interview\">interview<\/a> with the <em>New York Times<\/em>, Tshisekedi said the U.S. has already expressed interest in a minerals deal with Congo.<\/p>\n<p>M23 and Rwanda are already believed to have boosted their share of critical minerals, looting them from Congolese mining companies as they expand their territory. A Congolese civil society mining group <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiookapi.net\/2025\/02\/28\/emissions\/echos-deconomie\/bukavu-plus-de-dix-tonnes-des-minerais-de-3t-emportees-dans-une\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"alleged\">alleged<\/a> that M23 and Rwandan forces besieged and looted the mining facilities of the Congolese mining company CJX Minerals in the city of Bukavu, seizing over 10 tons of 3T minerals.<\/p>\n<p>A December 2024 U.N.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.un.org\/en\/s\/2024\/969\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a>&nbsp;alleged that M23 had become a de facto extension of the Rwandan military. The report argued that roughly 4,000 regular Rwandan troops were operating alongside M23, sometimes fighting Congolese forces alongside them. M23 itself now resembles a conventional army, with uniforms, modern equipment, and advanced tactics rather than the ragtag militia group it once was.<\/p>\n<p>Most directly, the Rwandan military had &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-is-war-breaking-out-in-the-congo-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Why is war breaking out in the ...? - Washington Examiner\">de facto control&#038;rdquo<\/a>; over M23 command, and &ldquo;Every M23 unit was supervised and supported by [Rwandan Defence Force] special forces.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Despite being widely viewed as the aggressor in the conflict, Rwanda remains one of the most popular sub-Saharan African countries, its international standing buoyed by its pro-Western stance and impressive growth. Western feelings of guilt over a failure to prevent the Rwandan genocide, when roughly 800,000 Tutsis were systematically murdered in 1994, also play a role.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. took a major symbolic step against Rwanda on Feb. 20, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3325145\/us-sanctions-rwanda-war-expands-eastern-congo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"sanctioned\">sanctioning<\/a> Rwandan Minister of State for Regional Integration James Kabarebe and Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a spokesman for the Rwandan-backed M23 and the Congo River Alliance. Two companies linked to Kanyuka, the U.K.-based Kingston Fresh and Paris-based Kingston Holding, were also sanctioned.<\/p>\n<p>The sanctions were the first major action the U.S. took against Rwanda. The United Kingdom <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lemonde.fr\/afrique\/article\/2025\/02\/25\/avancee-des-rebelles-du-m23-en-rdc-londres-annonce-suspendre-la-majorite-de-ses-aides-financieres-a-kigali_6563594_3212.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"went a step further\">went a step further<\/a> by suspending all financial aid to Kigali.<\/p>\n<p>Rwanda has been heavily reliant on Western aid and investment, meaning the U.S. still has many financial levers to pull. Threats of sanctions previously caused Rwanda to suspend support for M23 in 2012, but experts warn that this time around could be different.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/3325145\/us-sanctions-rwanda-war-expands-eastern-congo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"US sanctions Rwandan official and rebel leader as war expands in eastern Congo\">US SANCTIONS RWANDAN OFFICIAL AND REBEL LEADER AS WAR EXPANDS IN EASTERN CONGO<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ben Shepherd, a consulting fellow at the U.K. think tank Chatham House, told the&nbsp;<em>Financial Times<\/em>&nbsp;that Kagame could have assessed that obtaining Congolese minerals is worth the risk of dwindling international aid.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Maybe this is Kagame reading the room accurately,&rdquo; Shepherd said. &ldquo;Getting in there early and creating facts on the ground &mdash; regardless of costs to Congolese civilians and regional stability.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2023021\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2023021\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Congo seeks U.S. support through a minerals deal amid conflict<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2407915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Congo-minerals.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[40903,51310,3634,6991],"class_list":["post-2407914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-congo","tag-minerals-deal","tag-trump","tag-ukraine"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Congo-minerals.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2407914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2407914"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2407914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2407918,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2407914\/revisions\/2407918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2407915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2407914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2407914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2407914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}