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The Democratic Republic of Congo has labeled the European Union's ongoing minerals partnership with Rwanda as demonstrating "evident hypocrisy" while implementing significantly wider restrictions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's top diplomat, called for the EU to enact far more severe sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the unrest in Congo's eastern region.

"This demonstrates obvious hypocrisy – I aim to be helpful here – that makes us wondering and interested about understanding why the EU again struggles so much to implement measures," she stated.

Ceasefire Deal History

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a ceasefire deal in June, facilitated by the US and Qatar, aiming to resolve the decades-old conflict.

However, deadly attacks on ordinary citizens have continued and a time limit to achieve a lasting resolution was missed in August.

International Findings

Last year, a United Nations panel found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 rebel group and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

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

Leadership Call

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

"This requires you to command the M23 troops assisted by your country to stop this deterioration, which has already resulted in sufficient casualties," the leader emphasized.

EU Sanctions

The EU has enacted measures targeting 32 persons and two groups – a militant group and a Rwandan precious metals processor handling unauthorized sources of the metal – for their participation in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these determinations of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has declined demands to terminate a 2024 mining agreement with Kigali.

Mineral Issues

Wagner labeled the partnership with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a environment where it has been verified that Rwanda has been illegally extracting African wealth" mined under harsh circumstances of compulsory work, involving children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about illegal trade in mineral resources in eastern Congo, obtained via forced labour, then smuggled to Rwanda for export to benefit rebel organizations.

Humanitarian Crisis

The conflict in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with over 7.8 million people internally displaced in affected areas and 28 million experiencing hunger issues, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN reports.

International Engagement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner approved the agreement with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also aims to give the United States expanded opportunity to Congolese natural resources.

She stated that the US remains involved in the peace process and dismissed suggestions that primary interest was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

EU Cooperation

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a conference by stating that the EU wanted "collaboration based on mutual benefits and honoring independence."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – rail, road and water transport links – connecting the mineral heartlands of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been diminished by the conflict in the troubled region."