The United States in in talks with the Congolese government for a minerals deal. The announcement, however, has sparked a mix of cautious optimism and deep skepticism, as the DRC’s history with foreign partnerships has often led to exploitation, unfulfilled promises, and accusations of neocolonialism. As the DRC navigates this potential deal, the stakes are high for a nation rich in resources but burdened by conflict and economic instability.
The DRC sits atop some of the world’s most coveted mineral reserves, including cobalt, copper, gold, and lithium—resources critical for the global energy transition and technological advancements.
According to a 2022 report, the DRC produced 130,000 tons of cobalt in 2022, accounting for nearly 68% of the world’s supply, making it the largest cobalt miner globally. The country also boasts high-grade copper reserves, with some mines containing grades above 3%, far exceeding the global average of 0.6–0.8%.
These resources have made the DRC a focal point for international powers, but they have also fueled conflict, particularly in the eastern regions where rebel groups like the M23 operate.
The Congolese government’s hope is that U.S. involvement could bring stability to these conflict-ridden areas. Violence in the DRC, often linked to resource extraction, has deep roots.
The M23 rebellion, which resurfaced in 2021, has been tied to mineral exploitation, with the group reportedly earning $800,000 a month from taxing the Rubaya mine, one of the world’s largest coltan deposits, according to a February 2025 report by The New Humanitarian.
The Congolese government believes that American investment and oversight in the mining sector could disrupt the financial incentives for such rebel groups, potentially reducing violence.
Additionally, a March 2025 analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) suggests that supporting the DRC’s efforts to leverage its mineral wealth for growth and domestic employment could diminish the appeal of armed rebellion.
However, the proposed deal has raised significant concerns, both within the DRC and among observers familiar with the country’s history. The DRC’s past experiences with foreign powers have often been marked by exploitation and broken promises.
During the Cold War, the U.S. and other Western nations supported dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, whose regime plundered the country’s resources while leaving the population in poverty. More recently, a 2008 deal with China promised $6 billion in infrastructure in exchange for mineral access, but many of the pledged projects, such as roads and hospitals, never materialized, leaving Congolese citizens disillusioned.
As Al Jazeera reported in August 2022, such deals often enrich a small elite while deepening hardship for the majority, a pattern that has led to accusations of neocolonialism.
From the U.S. perspective, the deal is strategically motivated. The DRC’s cobalt and copper are critical for renewable energy technologies, particularly electric vehicle batteries. However, the PIIE report highlights risks for the U.S., noting that demand for cobalt may decline if the Inflation Reduction Act is repealed or if battery technology evolves to rely less on the mineral.
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Moreover, a minerals-for-security deal could draw U.S. forces into the DRC’s complex, multiparty civil war, a scenario reminiscent of the quagmires in Afghanistan and Iraq. The involvement of Rwanda, which the UN says has deployed thousands of troops to support the M23, further complicates the situation, as regional dynamics and mineral smuggling—evidenced by Rwanda’s sharp rise in mineral exports since 2021—add layers of tension.
The DRC’s history offers a cautionary tale. The overthrow of Mobutu in 1997 by Laurent Kabila, backed by Rwanda and Uganda, was initially seen as a step toward stability, but it quickly devolved into further conflict, culminating in Kabila’s assassination in 2001. Decades of ethnic tensions, political instability, and foreign interference have left the DRC vulnerable, and the current government’s decision to pursue this deal with the U.S. risks repeating past mistakes.
For the DRC, the path forward requires balancing the need for economic development with the risk of exploitation. A successful partnership with the U.S. could bring much-needed investment and stability, but only if it prioritizes the welfare of the Congolese people over the interests of foreign corporations or local elites.
Transparency in the deal’s terms, robust oversight, and a commitment to reinvesting profits into local communities will be crucial. Without these safeguards, the DRC risks deepening its cycle of conflict and poverty, proving the skeptics right once again.
As negotiations continue, the world watches closely. The DRC’s mineral wealth holds the potential to transform the nation, but history suggests that such transformations are far from guaranteed.
For now, the Congolese people can only hope that this deal marks a departure from the past—a chance to finally harness their country’s resources for the benefit of all, rather than the enrichment of a few.
