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The Democratic Republic of Congo has described the European Union's ongoing minerals agreement with Rwanda as exhibiting "clear double standards" while imposing far more extensive sanctions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister's Firm Condemnation

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's top diplomat, called for the EU to enact far more severe restrictions against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the conflict in eastern DRC.

"This shows evident hypocrisy – I want to be helpful here – that leaves us questioning and interested about understanding why the EU again struggles so much to enact sanctions," she emphasized.

Peace Agreement Context

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the United States and Qatar, intending to resolve the decades-old conflict.

However, fatal assaults on non-combatants have endured and a target date to reach a comprehensive peace agreement was missed in August.

International Findings

Last year, a international assessment team reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 insurgent faction and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23 and claims its forces act in national security.

Presidential Appeal

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to stop supporting rebel forces in the DRC during a European gathering featuring both leaders.

"This demands you to order the M23 troops assisted by your country to end this escalation, which has already caused numerous fatalities," the leader emphasized.

European Measures

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 individuals and two organizations – a militant group and a Rwandan gold refiner processing contraband materials of the metal – for their participation in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these conclusions of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has declined demands to cancel a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Mineral Issues

Wagner described the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a environment where it has been confirmed that Rwanda has been siphoning off Congolese resources" obtained under harsh circumstances of coerced employment, affecting children.

The United States and numerous nations have raised concerns about unauthorized transactions in gold and tantalum in Congo's eastern region, obtained via coerced employment, then trafficked to Rwanda for international trade to finance militant factions.

Human Catastrophe

The unrest in Congo's east remains one of the world's gravest emergency situations, with over 7.8 million people forced from homes in affected areas and 28 million confronting hunger issues, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

Diplomatic Efforts

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner approved the agreement with Rwanda at the American administration in June, which also seeks to give the United States greater access to Congolese natural resources.

She stated that the US remains engaged in the resolution efforts and rejected claims that sole motivation was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

European Partnership

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a gathering by declaring that the EU wanted "cooperation based on shared objectives and acknowledging autonomy."

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 admitted that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "much has been eclipsed by the conflict in Congo's east."