Latest news with #US-DRC
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17 hours ago
- Business
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Africa News Live Updates: Rwandan PM Edouard Ngirente to address lawmakers on government achievements
Africa News Live Updates: Welcome to our live blog covering the latest from across Africa. Follow real-time updates on political transitions, security and peacekeeping operations, regional integration efforts, economic innovation, climate impacts, migration trends and grassroots activism. Track the continent's evolving stance on global affairs and its efforts to tackle internal and external challenges across sectors read more In Kenya, police boss Lagat is under IPOA investigation over blogger Ojwang's controversial death in custody, sparking public outrage, Standard Media reports. In Rwanda, opposition figure Victoire Ingabire has been re-arrested for allegedly mobilising a group to incite public disorder, according to The New Times, raising concerns about political freedoms. Meanwhile, Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki faces renewed scrutiny for ruling over three decades without elections, despite a ratified constitution, as noted by the BBC. This is a LIVE news file from across Africa, with updates continuing throughout the day as developments unfold: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is seeking to establish a mineral deal with the United States, a development perceived as a potential countermeasure to China's significant influence in the African nation's rich mineral sector, Voice of America said in a report. The DRC possesses substantial deposits of critical minerals such as cobalt, essential for electric vehicle batteries, and coltan, used in electronics, attracting international interest. China currently holds considerable investments in the DRC's mining industry, including control over significant processing capabilities. This potential US-DRC partnership aligns with broader US strategic goals to diversify critical mineral supply chains and counter the geopolitical influence of rivals, while the DRC has previously indicated intentions to review existing mining contracts and diversify its international partners. The East African Development Bank (EADB) has finalized a Sh5.2 billion loan agreement with the OPEC Fund for International Development aimed at stimulating sustainable economic growth and enhancing regional integration throughout East Africa, Capital FM said in a report. This funding is intended to support development initiatives across the region. A coalition in Nigeria is demanding significant electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, including stripping President Bola Tinubu of the power to appoint the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman and Commissioners, said in a report. The group is also calling for the mandatory electronic transmission of election results, a demand reportedly stemming from controversies over result collation and transmission during the 2023 general election. Rwanda is planning the establishment of an $82 million Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) industry lab, The New Times says in a report. This facility is intended to empower start-ups, accelerate prototype development processes, and promote the commercialization of technologies developed within the country. The initiative aims to foster innovation and support local technology entrepreneurs. A United Nations helicopter undertaking a rescue mission in South Sudan came under attack, according to a report in Voice of America. The incident occurred amidst ongoing challenges related to the stalled implementation of the 2018 peace agreement, persistent inter-communal violence, and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country. At least 40 people died and an undetermined number are missing after a convoy of 'three large attached pirogues' carrying over 200 individuals to a funeral capsized on a lake in the Equateur province of northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, Le Monde said in a report. The Minister of Interior for Equateur province confirmed the death toll from the incident and noted that search efforts were underway for those still unaccounted for. Africans are increasingly voicing their hope for a pontiff from their continent, which has not seen one for roughly 1,500 years, AP says in a report. This sentiment is fueled by the significant growth of the Catholic Church in Africa and an increased number of African cardinals. However, there's a prevailing sense of realism, as the election of a pope by the College of Cardinals is a multifaceted process influenced by various factors beyond geographical representation, leading many to temper their expectations despite the strong desire. The archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) may soon be relocated to a Genocide Documentation Center nearing completion in Kamonyi District, a Rwandan minister announced, The New Times said in a report. This development signifies a potential move of the extensive records, generated by the UN tribunal that prosecuted individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, to be housed within Rwanda. The Kamonyi facility is being established with the intention of becoming the new home for these significant historical and legal documents. Three police officers from Durban's Brighton Beach station in South Africa have denied charges related to an alleged rape cover-up, AllAfrica said in a report. The state alleges that these officers detained a rape victim and intimidated her into withdrawing the charges she had filed. A trial commenced in France on Thursday, June 19, 2025, involving three people and two companies accused of exploiting dozens of African migrant workers, said in a report. The defendants allegedly subjected these workers to squalid living and working conditions during the grape harvest in the Champagne region in 2024. The French-owned telemarketing company Paul & José abruptly closed its Casablanca, Morocco, operations in May, emptying its premises without notice and leaving dozens of employees in a precarious situation, according to a report in Le Monde. The closure, described as a 'fermeture sauvage' (wild closure), reportedly followed a discreet sale of the company. Supported by the Union marocaine du travail (UMT), the affected workers suspect 'social fraud' by the company. The arrest of rapper Aamron in Togo has reignited opposition movements against President Faure Gnassingbé, Le Monde said in a report. This development occurs in the wake of a controversial constitutional reform enacted in April 2024, which shifted Togo to a parliamentary system, enabling the parliament to elect the president for renewable six-year terms and effectively allowing Gnassingbé, who has been in power since 2005, to extend his tenure. This reform has been a significant source of discontent, and Aamron's arrest is viewed by critics as part of a broader pattern of suppressing dissent. In Chad, the justice system has threatened to prosecute journalists who are conducting investigations into a massacre of herders, Le Monde says in a report. This development has prompted human rights organizations to express alarm, describing the authorities' actions as part of a 'wave of repression.' The country is currently governed by a transitional military council led by Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. Retired Algerian general and former presidential candidate Ali Ghediri has been released from prison after serving a six-year sentence for 'participation in an enterprise aimed at weakening the army's morale', according to a report in Le Monde. Ghediri's imprisonment followed his attempt to contest the 2019 presidential election in Algeria, a period marked by the Hirak protest movement. A social media movement is gaining significant traction in Algeria where women are publishing videos to expose street harassers, according to a report in Le Monde. For several weeks, dozens of videos have been shared online using the hashtag #NonAuHarcèlementEnAlgérie (#NoToHarassmentInAlgeria), turning the initiative into a viral phenomenon as women seek to combat street harassment through public exposure on digital platforms. A fire is currently raging through multiple wooden structures located behind Ferro Fabrik Ltd in the Tema Heavy Industrial Area in Ghana, said in a report. The blaze affects numerous wooden buildings within the industrial zone. The Al-Qaida affiliated jihadist group GSIM, led by Iyad Ag Ghali, has increased attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso in recent weeks and is simultaneously refining its messaging to portray itself as a protector of civilians against abuses by state armies, Le Monde says in a report. This dual strategy is described as part of GSIM's unfolding plan in the Sahel region. A diplomatic impasse between Niger and Benin persists as Niamey maintains the closure of its border, significantly curtailing human and commercial exchanges, Le Monde says in a report. Nigerien authorities attribute this decision to unverified claims that Benin is fomenting destabilization plots. This border situation largely developed following the July 2023 coup in Niger; while Benin initially closed its border in compliance with ECOWAS sanctions (which were subsequently lifted, and Benin reopened its side), Niger has since kept its border predominantly shut. Despite these ongoing political tensions, an oil pipeline transporting Nigerien crude oil through Benin to the coast continues to operate. Hichem Miraoui, a Tunisian man, was buried in his hometown of Kairouan, Tunisia, amidst emotional scenes, Le Monde says in a report. Miraoui was reportedly shot five times and killed by his neighbor in Puget-sur-Argens, Var, France, in an incident described as a racist assassination. Mali's council of ministers has approved a draft law proposing that the current President of the Transition, General Assimi Goïta, could have his mandate extended without an election, potentially allowing him to remain in power until at least 2030, Le Monde said in a report. The proposed legislation is now set to be examined by the Conseil National de Transition, Mali's junta-appointed legislative body. This development follows previous postponements of elections that had been announced by the junta. Armed groups, including rebel and jihadist factions, in Africa's Sahel region are increasingly utilizing Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service to communicate in zones not covered by traditional terrestrial communication networks, Le Monde says in a report. The adoption of this satellite technology allows these groups to maintain communication capabilities in remote areas with limited or non-existent conventional infrastructure. An African Union special pre-election assessment mission has praised Tanzania for its solid preparations ahead of the country's general elections scheduled for 2025, The New Times says in a report. This commendation acknowledges ongoing efforts under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, which include engaging in dialogue with opposition parties and discussing electoral law amendments to foster a more open political environment for the upcoming polls. Two men in Kenya have received 30-year prison sentences for their role in assisting al-Shabab militants during the deadly 2019 attack on the DusitD2 hotel and office complex in Nairobi, Al Jazeera said in a report. The assault, which occurred in January 2019, resulted in the deaths of 21 people. The convicted individuals were found to have provided support to the al-Shabab fighters who carried out the attack. The Bank of Namibia has called on commercial banks to lower their prime lending rates, aiming to align them with rates in other Common Monetary Area (CMA) countries, as per a report in The Namibian. This directive comes even as the central bank decided to keep its repo rate unchanged at 6.75%. The central bank's stated objective for this initiative is to provide relief to consumers by potentially reducing their borrowing costs. Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is set to pay N$1.5 million to its former managing director, Matthias Ngwangwama, following a settlement in a labour dispute stemming from a breach of contract, The Namibian said in a report. The payment, equivalent to one year's salary for Ngwangwama, resolves the dispute that arose after the NWR board failed to inform him of its decision not to renew his employment contract six months prior to its expiration, as contractually required. Rwanda is currently assessing the potential impact of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran on its national economy, with a specific focus on the security of its energy supply, The New Times said in a report. The landlocked African nation is concerned that significant disruptions to global shipping routes, a possible consequence of the Middle East tensions, could affect its access to and the cost of imported fuel, thereby impacting various sectors reliant on energy. This assessment highlights Rwanda's vulnerability to international geopolitical events affecting global energy markets and supply chains, prompting preparedness measures for potential economic fallout. Rwanda's Gasabo Intermediate Court has rejected a request for provisional release by Davis Manzi Sezisoni, the founder of the forex trading platform Billion Traders FX, The New Times said in a report. Sezisoni had sought to be released from custody ahead of his forex fraud trial. The Namibian Cabinet's directive for the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) board to renew the contract of its former chief executive, Mwilima Mushokabanji, has been deemed unlawful, according to a legal opinion obtained by the board on April 9, The Namibian says in a report. This development comes as key figures, including President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, recently expressed support for Mushokabanji's return to the state-owned enterprise. The legal opinion challenges the actions of both the Cabinet and the minister of agriculture regarding the CEO's contract. Rwandan Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente has reaffirmed the government's commitment to sustaining its socio-economic programmes designed for greater poverty reduction and improved citizen welfare, according to a report in The New Times. The statement underscores the administration's ongoing focus on these social protection efforts as a key component of national development. Thirty-four Nigerien soldiers were killed and fourteen others were wounded in an armed attack near Banibangou, close to Niger's border with Mali, on Thursday, France 24 said in a report. According to Niger's defense ministry, hundreds of assailants using vehicles and motorbikes conducted the assault, which the ministry described as 'cowardly and barbaric.' A significant family inheritance dispute in Rwanda, involving assets exceeding Rwf 3 billion (approximately USD 2.4 million), has been amicably settled through mediation, The New Times said in a report. This resolution highlights the application of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, which are legally recognized and actively promoted by the Rwandan government as part of judicial reform efforts aimed at enhancing efficiency and access to justice. The successful mediation of this high-value case demonstrates the use of ADR for resolving complex civil matters, including those related to land and property rights, outside of traditional court proceedings. The South African men's cricket team, known as the Proteas, was greeted with a hero's welcome following their victory in the World Test Championship, Africa News said in a report. The team secured the championship by defeating the reigning champions, Australia, in matches that concluded over the weekend prior to the welcome celebrations. Morocco plans to reassess its free trade agreement with Turkey due to a significant and increasing trade deficit, Africa News said in a report. This move comes as experts suggest that addressing the imbalance long-term will require Morocco to enhance the competitiveness of its domestic industrial output, diversify its export markets, and potentially re-evaluate several of its existing free trade agreements to better serve national economic interests. Evacuations of African citizens from Israel have commenced due to heightened regional instability following recent direct attacks between Iran and Israel, Africa News said in a report. The evacuees include a diverse group of African nationals such as diplomats, students, and professionals who were residing in Israel. This measure was prompted by the increased security risks in the region, which are also linked to the broader instability from the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and UNESCO jointly hosted a concert in the nation's Upper Nile state, an area identified as an epicentre of conflict in recent months, Africa News said in a report. This initiative was undertaken by the UN agencies to utilize music as a means of fostering peace and reconciliation in the conflict-affected region. Rwanda is set to implement a value-added tax (VAT) on hybrid vehicles starting July 1, The New Times says in a report. This new tax measure was initially announced by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in February. More than 13 million people in Africa could contract malaria if the United States proceeds with proposed funding cuts in 2025, a Lancet study has warned, Financial Times said in a report. The research highlights significant concerns over the potential health impact of current US President Donald Trump's plan to nearly halve financial support for malaria prevention and treatment initiatives on the continent. Isaias Afwerki, who assumed leadership in Eritrea in 1991, has not fulfilled promises of national elections, and the country has been governed without an implemented constitution despite one being ratified in 1997, BBC says in a report. Eritrea operates as a one-party state under the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), and no national elections have occurred since its independence in 1993. The nation continues to face challenges, including its past involvement in the Tigray War, ongoing reports of human rights abuses and forced conscription, and significant emigration of its citizens. Ex-convict Victoire Ingabire has been arrested in Rwanda by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), The New Times said in a report. Ingabire faces allegations that she played a role in mobilizing a group accused of plotting to incite public disorder. The Rwanda Investigation Bureau is the country's primary law enforcement agency responsible for conducting criminal investigations, including those related to state security and public order. A Kenyan police boss, identified as Lagat, underwent extensive questioning by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of a blogger named Ojwang, Standard Media said in a report. Lagat was summoned by IPOA to provide information on what he knew about the blogger's death, which reportedly occurred in a police cell. Load More In Kenya, the head of police operations, identified as Lagat, is under scrutiny after being questioned by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) regarding the controversial death of blogger Ojwang while in police custody. The incident, reported by Standard Media, has triggered public outcry and intensified demands for police accountability in the East African country, where cases of custodial deaths remain a sensitive issue. Meanwhile, in Rwanda, ex-convict and opposition figure Victoire Ingabire has once again been arrested, this time on allegations of mobilising a group to incite public disorder. According to The New Times, Ingabire's latest arrest comes amid broader concerns about political space and freedom of expression in the country. The Rwanda Investigation Bureau is said to be handling the case, highlighting its potential national security dimensions. Elsewhere on the continent, questions around authoritarian leadership persist as Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki marks more than three decades in power without holding national elections. Despite ratifying a constitution in 1997, the country remains a one-party state under the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), with no electoral process implemented since independence. As reported by the BBC, this prolonged governance vacuum continues to drive human rights concerns, forced conscription, and widespread emigration. This is a LIVE news file from across Africa and updates will continue throughout the day as new developments emerge from every corner of the continent:
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First Post
27-04-2025
- Business
- First Post
New front in US-China rivalry opens, this time in Congo's copper and cobalt mining heartland
DRC has offered US access to its vast mineral wealth as part of a broader plan to end violence in the country's east, where fighting has intensified this year after the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group seized strategic cities read more Excavators and drillers at work in an open pit at Tenke Fungurume, a copper and cobalt mine 110 km (68 miles) northwest of Lubumbashi in Congo's copper-producing south. File image/Reuters Talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the United States over a proposed 'minerals-for-security' pact could threaten China's long-standing dominance in the central African nation's mining industry, though analysts warn the path ahead is fraught with complexity. Kinshasa has offered Washington access to its vast mineral wealth as part of a broader plan to end violence in the country's east, where fighting has intensified this year after the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group seized strategic cities. In return, the DRC is seeking security guarantees and military support, with hopes that a closer partnership with the US will also encourage American investment and lessen its economic reliance on China. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under the proposal, the US would deploy diplomatic and economic levers to help broker peace, while gaining access to critical minerals — a move that could reshape competition with China, which currently dominates mining operations across the DRC, South China Morning Post reported. 'President [Felix] Tshisekedi and I discussed a minerals deal and charted a path forward,' Massad Boulos, Donald Trump's adviser for Africa, said at a recent briefing about his trip to Kinshasa. Experts suggest the arrangement may mirror China's own 'minerals-for-infrastructure' deal struck with the DRC in 2007, in which Chinese firms agreed to develop infrastructure in exchange for access to key resources like copper and cobalt. Joseph Cihunda, a law lecturer at the University of Kinshasa and project officer at Southern Africa Resource Watch, described the emerging US-DRC agreement as a 'minerals-for-security' deal involving 'the transfer of military industries, equipment and training.' However, Cihunda cautioned that 'it will be difficult to assess what needs to be exchanged to ensure a balance between the two partners.' The US appears set to leverage infrastructure projects such as the Lobito Corridor, which aims to rebuild railway links between the DRC, Angola, and Zambia's copper belt. By enhancing transport links, Washington hopes to diversify supply chains away from Chinese control and open up mineral flows towards American and allied markets. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yet forging a sustainable US-DRC deal comes with major hurdles. American firms have traditionally been reluctant to invest in the DRC, citing high risks and insecurity. As Wei Shen, a research fellow at the Institute of Development Studies in Britain, pointed out: 'American companies had been hesitant to invest in the DRC and American banks 'don't support entrepreneurs here.'' 'So, if Trump can ask American companies to invest and then ask Wall Street to support these deals, it's OK,' he said. Even then, he added, 'all the minerals they dig up will be shipped back to China for processing' under existing global arrangements. 'So even if we remove all the Chinese companies, I don't think any Western companies can take up their role.' The stakes are high. The DRC accounts for roughly 70 per cent of global cobalt production — a mineral vital for batteries in smartphones and electric vehicles — and is also a major supplier of copper, tin, gold, lithium, and tantalum. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Chinese companies, through a series of acquisitions and contracts, have come to dominate the sector. Chief among these was the $6 billion minerals-for-infrastructure deal signed in 2007 under then-president Joseph Kabila, involving state-owned enterprises such as China Railway Group, Sinohydro Corporation, and private players like Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt. This barter deal — an example of resource-backed loans — was renegotiated in 2023 following Congolese grievances that it disproportionately favoured Chinese interests. The revised agreement was scaled up to a $7 billion infrastructure package, aiming for greater equity. Chris Berry, head of the US-based commodities advisory firm House Mountain Partners, suggested that the Trump administration's approach appeared to be purely transactional. 'I assume the administration would help 'keep the peace' and, in exchange, gain access to mine critical minerals,' he said. Still, Berry warned that the fundamental challenges of operating in the DRC remained. 'I would think that the likelihood of American companies or investors investing in the DRC is still slim,' he said, adding that investors would likely want to see sustained peace before committing capital. Without substantial backing from the US government, he added, China's grip on the sector may not loosen: 'They have operated in this part of the world for a long time.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Some signs of change have emerged. Following the visit by the US envoy, Alphamin Resources — a US-based company — announced earlier this month that it would initiate a 'phased' resumption of operations at its Bisie tin mine in the conflict-prone Walikale district. The announcement came after M23 forces withdrew from the site following 'discussions with parties involved in the conflict.' Rwanda has denied any links to the M23 rebels. According to Cihunda, the DRC's mining sector remains underdeveloped, offering ample room for new entrants. 'There's plenty of room for investors in both exploration and mining,' he said. 'The major challenge is to improve the business climate.' Whether the US-DRC deal can overcome these hurdles remains uncertain — but the strategic battle over Africa's minerals is clearly entering a new phase.
IOL News
23-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
DRC arms for minerals deal amid Trump transactionalism, tariffs
Media reports suggest that a deal involving Donald Trump's US and the DRC could be modelled along the lines of the US- Ukraine deal, a transactional bilateral arrangement upon which the US would provide security support in exchange for critical minerals and rare earth metals. Media reports that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sought to negotiate an arms-for-minerals deal with the US at a time when Washington has imposed unilateral tariffs targeting both allies and opponents. Media reports suggest that the US-DRC deal could be modelled along the lines of the US- Ukraine deal, a transactional bilateral arrangement upon which the US would provide security support in exchange for critical minerals and rare earth metals. While the DRC faces a desperate security situation and has alluded to the need to diversify its partners, the Trump administration looks keen to take its transactional model of bilateral, and indeed multilateral, relations to conflict states, trading mineral resources for security needs. The motivation and timing of the DRC's overtures towards the US may throw the country into a catch-22. The Trump administration has been very clear about seeking maximum benefits for the US in line with the Trump Administration's America First Agenda by forging transactional relations with partners. At the same time, the DRC is pulling a huge gamble which could alienate its traditional trusted partners. At this juncture, African countries should seek collective solutions to emerging challenges, including in dealing with the chaotic, unpredictable, and transactional policies emerging from Washington. The DRC faces ongoing violence, instability, massive displacement of its citizens and a huge humanitarian crisis. Millions of its citizens have been forced to flee their homes to escape the advancing M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Rwanda. The rebel groups have responded with mixed signals to calls for a ceasefire by both the government of the DRC and Rwanda, while the SADC forces deployed to keep peace in the country are being withdrawn, leaving the Tshisekedi-led government desperate to bolster peace and stability in the country. China has emerged as the major investment and development partner in Africa and the DRC in particular. The Trump Administration has indicated its desire to continue pushing US interests for critical minerals, drawing big power competition and rivalry into the region. The U.S., through its International Development Finance Corporation, set up during Trump's first term in 2019, has pledged a $550 million loan to support the Lobito corridor project. The DRC, Angola, Zambia, and Tanzania are all participating in the Lobito corridor initiative, a $4 billion project which was originally launched by the Biden administration to develop railway infrastructure linking ports in Tanzania through the DRC and Zambia to Angola. The project, which seeks to facilitate the transportation of minerals resources and other raw materials found in abundance in this region, was touted as evidence to affirm that the US and EU are seriously back to invest in Africa, and possibly outcompete flourishing Chinese investments. According to the BBC, the U.S. chargé d'affaires and acting ambassador to Angola, James Story, told reporters that the United States is ''set to show our commitment to these projects,'' suggesting that the Trump administration is all in the planned partnership with the 4 Africancountries, the private sector, the US, and the EU countries. Western governments view the Lobito corridor project as their answers and alternative to massive Chinese infrastructure projects in the region backed by a combination of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Forum for China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). In contrast to ad hoc, recently emerging Western infrastructure initiatives in Africa, China has institutionalised its investments in the continent through combined public and private sector investments to assert itself in diversified supply and value chains, creating millions of jobs across the continent. Western countries and the private sector have previously been reluctant to invest massively in the continent. They have mostly directed their focus on humanitarian and security initiatives partly because Africa is generally viewed as unstable and characterised by poor governance. Compared to extensive Chinese investment in the DRC, and despite dangling billions of dollars in potential investment, US-DRC trade accounts for minuscule economic exchanges between the two countries. A summary of trade relations between the DRC and the US from the Office of the United States Trade Representative indicates that total goods trade with the Democratic Republic of the Congo reached $576.4 million in 2024. The US goods exports to the Democratic Republic of the Congo were $253.3 million in 2024, growing by 35.6 percent to reach $66.5 million from 2023, while the US goods imports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo clocked $323.1 million, gaining by 17.5 percent to $48.1 million. Since the 2000s, China has invested more than $155 billion in Sub-Saharan Africa, making Beijing a legitimate alternative to Western financing in the realm of developmental and commercial infrastructure. The DRC, which produces 80 percent of the world's cobalt, has attracted massive investments from state-owned enterprises and policy banks from China. Chinese companies have invested in half of the largest cobalt mines in the DRC, with a significant stake in the refining of cobalt and other minerals. China is by far the DRC's largest single trading partner, representing nearly half of its merchandise exports and more than a quarter of its imports, according to 2022 data from the World Trade Organization. When it comes to China's economic ties with DR Congo, the UN Comtrade Database shows that for years, China has been DR Congo's top trading partner since the 2000s. According to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade, Chinese exports to Congo reached US$4.49 billion in 2023. China has financed and built large-scale infrastructure projects in DR Congo, including hydropower plants and a dry port. The Chinese Loans to Africa Database run by Boston University says that Beijing extended $3.2bn (£2.5bn) of loans to the DRC between 2005 and 2022, mostly to fund road and bridge construction and the country's electricity grid. US investments in Africa in general, and the DRC in particular, are marginal. The Trump administration is equally proving transactional, basically self-interested in a very inside-looking way. The unilateral imposition of blanket tariffs on nearly 60 countries, which have been suspended for 60 days, requires the DRC to demonstrate a measure of solidarity, goodwill and, most importantly, seek a collective response with other African countries to maintain a diplomatically nuanced collective posture towards the US. China, the main economic partner with the DRC, is confronted with a cycle of additional US tariffs. In the context of the transactional operational mode characterising contemporary Washington foreign relations, and the tensions between Washington and Beijing triggered by Trumpsunilateral imposition of tariffs on China, the DRC, as with other African countries who aremembers of the BRICS, and have forged strong bilateral and multilateral relations with Beijing risk coercive backlash from Washington. While China is clear on its policy of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, Trump has threatened to impose debilitating tariffs on members of the BRICS group of countries. South Africa is facing intense pressure for some of its policies to address its domestic historical contradictions. Barring some serious delicate balancing act, the DRC risks alienating some of its traditional partners who have ploughed billions of dollars into the fragile state at a time when the US is proving unpredictable and unreliable, tearing the global economic and political rule book even for its historical partners. Gideon H Chitanga, PhD is a Post Doctoral Researcher at the Centre for China Africa Studies (CACS), University of Johannesburg.
Russia Today
08-03-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Washington considering ‘rare earths' deal with African state
The US is exploring a deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to access its natural resources in exchange for American security assistance, the Financial Times has reported. Violence escalated in the resource-rich country's eastern provinces in January, with M23 group militants seizing several key cities. Last month, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa estimated that the conflict had caused 7,000 fatalities. The DRC has repeatedly accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the militants, claims that have been echoed by the West. Rwanda has consistently denied the allegations. On Saturday, the FT cited unnamed sources as saying that US-DRC discussions about a potential mineral deal have intensified recently, 'although several obstacles remain' and they are 'at a relatively early stage.' Last month, Tina Salama, a spokesperson of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, wrote on X that Kinshasa 'invites the USA, whose companies source strategic raw materials from Rwanda, materials that are looted from the DRC and smuggled to Rwanda while our populations are massacred, to purchase them directly from us the rightful owners.' Rwanda has denied any involvement in mineral smuggling. Prior to that, DRC Senator Pierre Kanda Kalambayi sent a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying that 'The United States is well-positioned to forge an enduring partnership with the DRC – a nation that possesses over $24 trillion in untapped reserves of critical minerals.' Among the resources mentioned are cobalt, which is of particular interest to the aerospace and defense sectors, as well as of lithium, tantalum, and uranium. Kinshasa would expect Washington to step up military cooperation, as well as efforts to train and equip the DCR military, Kalambayi stated. Since assuming office in January, US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in gaining access to overseas deposits of crucial minerals, most notably in Greenland and Ukraine. A minerals deal with Kiev was expected to be signed last week. However, a heated exchange between Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky and Trump at the White House put the process on hold. Trump accused Zelensky of disrespect, ingratitude for past US aid, reluctance to seek peace with Russia, and 'gambling with World War III.' He was asked to leave and return only when he was ready for serious talks. In a post on X on Tuesday, Zelensky indicated that Ukraine was prepared to proceed with the arrangement.
