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The DRC has labeled the European Union's persistent minerals agreement with Rwanda as exhibiting "clear contradiction" while imposing significantly wider restrictions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's top diplomat, urged the EU to impose much stronger restrictions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the unrest in DRC's eastern territories.

"It represents evident double standards – I aim to be productive here – that leaves us questioning and interested about comprehending why the EU continues to hesitate so much to take action," she stated.

Ceasefire Deal Context

The DRC and Rwanda signed a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the US and Qatar, aiming to end the long-standing hostilities.

However, lethal incidents on non-combatants have persisted and a deadline to reach a comprehensive peace agreement was missed in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a United Nations panel reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 insurgent faction and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

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

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently appealed to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing militants in the DRC during a international conference featuring both leaders.

"This necessitates you to command the M23 troops supported by your country to end this escalation, which has already led to sufficient fatalities," the president declared.

EU Sanctions

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 people and two organizations – a armed faction and a Rwandan precious metals processor handling illegal supplies of the metal – for their role in fuelling the conflict.

Despite these conclusions of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has rejected calls to suspend a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner labeled the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a environment where it has been confirmed that Rwanda has been illegally extracting Congolese resources" extracted under brutal conditions of coerced employment, involving children.

The United States and numerous nations have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in precious metals in eastern Congo, obtained via forced labour, then trafficked to Rwanda for international trade to benefit armed groups.

Regional Emergency

The violence in eastern DRC remains one of the world's most severe emergency situations, with exceeding 7.8 million people internally displaced in affected areas and 28 million experiencing food insecurity, including 4 million at critical stages, according to UN data.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner ratified the deal with Rwanda at the White House 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 denied claims that primary interest was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

International Collaboration

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a conference by stating that the EU wanted "collaboration based on shared objectives and honoring independence."

She featured the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – connecting the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's ocean access.

Wagner recognized that the EU and DRC had a firm groundwork in the Lobito project, but "much has been overshadowed by the situation in the troubled region."