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The DRC has described the European Union's continued minerals deal with Rwanda as showing "obvious double standards" while implementing far more extensive restrictions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Government Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's international affairs chief, called for the EU to implement far more severe sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the violence in Congo's eastern region.

"This demonstrates evident hypocrisy – I want to be helpful here – that has us curious and inquisitive about grasping why the EU continues to hesitate so much to enact sanctions," she emphasized.

Peace Agreement Background

The DRC and Rwanda signed a ceasefire deal in June, facilitated by the United States and Qatar, designed to resolve the decades-old hostilities.

However, lethal incidents on civilians have persisted and a deadline to achieve a final settlement was not met in August.

UN Report

Last year, a group of UN experts stated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 rebel group and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23 and maintains its forces act in self-protection.

Diplomatic Request

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently called upon his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to stop supporting militants in the DRC during a Brussels event featuring both leaders.

"This requires you to command the M23 troops supported by your country to halt this intensification, which has already caused numerous casualties," the president declared.

European Measures

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 individuals and two groups – a armed faction and a Rwandan precious metals processor dealing in contraband materials of the metal – for their role in fuelling the conflict.

Despite these findings of rights violations by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has rejected requests to suspend a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a context where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off African wealth" mined under harsh circumstances of compulsory work, involving children.

The United States and many others have expressed alarm about illegal trade in mineral resources in Congo's eastern region, obtained via forced labour, then trafficked to Rwanda for shipment to support armed groups.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with exceeding 7.8 million people internally displaced in the region and 28 million confronting food insecurity, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner ratified the deal with Rwanda at the US presidential residence in June, which also attempts to give the United States enhanced entry to DRC minerals.

She asserted that the US remains participating in the resolution efforts and denied claims that primary interest was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

International Collaboration

The Brussels chief, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a conference by stating that the EU wanted "collaboration based on common interests and acknowledging autonomy."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – joining the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's ocean access.

Wagner acknowledged 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."