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The DRC has labeled the European Union's continued minerals agreement with Rwanda as demonstrating "obvious double standards" while implementing significantly wider restrictions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's international affairs chief, urged the EU to implement much stronger restrictions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the conflict in DRC's eastern territories.

"This demonstrates obvious double standards – I strive to be helpful here – that leaves us wondering and interested about understanding why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to enact sanctions," she declared.

Conflict Resolution Background

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the US and Qatar, aiming to resolve the long-standing conflict.

However, deadly attacks on non-combatants have persisted and a target date to reach a lasting resolution was missed in August.

International Findings

Last year, a United Nations panel stated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 rebel group and that the Rwandan military was in "de facto control of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected supporting M23 and claims its forces act in self-defence.

Presidential Appeal

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

"This demands you to order the M23 troops backed by your country to end this deterioration, which has already resulted in numerous fatalities," Tshisekedi stated.

International Restrictions

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 individuals and two organizations – a armed faction and a Rwandan precious metals processor processing contraband materials of the metal – for their participation in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these findings of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the EU executive has declined calls to terminate a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a context where it has been established that Rwanda has been diverting DRC minerals" obtained under harsh circumstances of forced labour, involving children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about illegal trade in precious metals in eastern Congo, extracted via coerced employment, then trafficked to Rwanda for international trade to finance rebel organizations.

Human Catastrophe

The violence in eastern DRC remains one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with more than 7.8 million people forced from homes in affected areas and 28 million confronting nutritional challenges, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN reports.

International Engagement

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner ratified the agreement with Rwanda at the US presidential residence in June, which also attempts to give the United States greater access to DRC minerals.

She stated that the US remains involved in the resolution efforts and denied suggestions that main concern was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

European Partnership

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

She featured the Lobito corridor – rail, road and water transport links – connecting the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "much has been diminished by the situation in eastern DRC."