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The Democratic Republic of Congo has characterized the European Union's persistent minerals agreement with Rwanda as exhibiting "obvious hypocrisy" while implementing much broader restrictions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's top diplomat, urged the EU to enact far more severe restrictions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the conflict in Congo's eastern region.

"It represents evident inconsistency – I aim to be helpful here – that leaves us questioning and inquisitive about comprehending why the EU continues to hesitate so much to enact sanctions," she emphasized.

Conflict Resolution History

The DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in June, brokered by the America and Qatar, intending to end the decades-old dispute.

However, fatal assaults on non-combatants have continued and a time limit to establish a comprehensive peace agreement was missed in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a international assessment team found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "de facto control of M23 operations."

Rwanda has continually refuted assisting M23 and asserts its forces act in self-protection.

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently called upon his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to militants in the DRC during a European gathering featuring both leaders.

"This demands you to order the M23 troops backed by your country to halt this escalation, which has already resulted in numerous deaths," Tshisekedi stated.

International Restrictions

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 individuals and two groups – a armed faction and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility dealing in unauthorized sources of the metal – for their role in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these findings of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has rejected calls to cancel a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner characterized 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 brutal conditions of compulsory work, including children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about illegal trade in mineral resources in Congo's eastern region, obtained via compulsory work, then illegally transported to Rwanda for export to support armed groups.

Regional Emergency

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

Diplomatic Efforts

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner signed the deal with Rwanda at the US presidential residence in June, which also seeks to give the United States greater access to African wealth.

She asserted that the US remains involved in the resolution efforts and dismissed suggestions that main concern was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

European Partnership

The Brussels chief, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a gathering by emphasizing that the EU wanted "partnerships based on mutual benefits and acknowledging autonomy."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – connecting the mineral heartlands of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a firm groundwork in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been overshadowed by the conflict in Congo's east."