Massad Boulos, senior advisor to President Donald Trump on African policy, mentioned on Thursday to Reuters that the administration is optimistic about a potential peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. This agreement also has implications for the mineral trade with the United States.
Boulos suggested that a mineral contract with the DRC might be finalized on the same day the peace deal is signed between Congo and Rwanda. He indicated that this could happen within the next couple of months.
In a meeting last week in Washington, both DRC and Rwanda set an ambitious timeline, with plans to present the first draft of their peace treaty by May 2nd. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is slated to oversee another meeting in Washington by mid-May to wrap up the treaty.
As part of their discussions, Rwandan traders pledged to stop supporting the M23 rebel group and other factions causing unrest in eastern Congo. The M23 had recently captured significant areas, even marching into key DRC cities with the apparent backing of the Rwandan army.
In exchange for Rwanda withdrawing its troops and ceasing support for the rebels, the DRC has committed to addressing Rwanda’s security concerns, particularly regarding Rwandan rebel groups like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
The FDLR is one of more than a hundred armed groups active in eastern Congo, which raises alarms for Rwanda given that many of its members belong to the Hutu tribe, intent on toppling the predominantly Tutsi-controlled Rwandan government. This historical context traces back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Boulos emphasized that the mineral trade between the U.S. and these African nations must be firmly established before they proceed with signing the peace treaty.
He elaborated that the trade agreement with the DRC would be on a much larger scale due to its vast resources, though Rwanda also has notable potential in mining.
Prior to this, DRC and Rwandan delegations met in Doha, Qatar, where they reportedly moved closer to agreeing on a draft peace treaty.
Boulos pointed out that the U.S. mineral trade with the DRC is significantly more extensive than with Rwanda, given that the DRC is rich in untapped mineral resources, including precious metals and minerals like cobalt, copper, and lithium.
The ongoing security issues in eastern Congo are, however, a major hindrance to exploiting these resources. Investors are understandably reluctant to invest heavily until the situation stabilizes. The M23 rebels have taken control of significant mines in Congo, reportedly exporting stolen minerals to Rwanda.
The United Nations has deployed a peacekeeping force, known as Monusco, to seek stability in the region. While Monusco had previously pushed M23 forces back, its effectiveness during the current crisis has been questioned.
Last year, President Félix Tshisekedi called for the withdrawal of Monusco, but the peacekeepers remain, facing severe challenges including casualties from clashes with M23.
On Thursday, South Africa announced it would begin pulling peacekeepers from areas controlled by the rebels in eastern Congo. Meanwhile, there are concerns that the M23 might advance further, especially after their capture of Goma City in January.
Additionally, hundreds of Congolese soldiers found themselves isolated due to the M23’s advance, prompting the International Committee of the Red Cross to assist in evacuating those troops and their families from rebel territory.
President Tshisekedi has also floated plans to grant exclusive mineral rights to the U.S. in return for support against the M23 rebellion.
“Your administration has steered us towards a golden era for America. Our collaboration would provide the U.S. with strategic access to crucial minerals like cobalt, lithium, and copper from the DRC,” he expressed.
Boulos, who already has business ties in Africa, took action swiftly following Tshisekedi’s proposal to lay out the terms for the mineral deal with the DRC.
