EU Reassesses MoU with Rwanda Amid Growing DRC Conflict
On February 24, 2025, the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council announced a review of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rwanda, originally signed in February 2024.
This decision, made public by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, is part of broader EU efforts to press Rwanda to respect the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Kallas, who is also Vice-President of the European Commission, stated, “Consultations on defense issues with Rwanda have been suspended.
There is also a political decision to apply sanctions, depending on developments on the ground. We have asked Rwanda to withdraw its troops from DRC territory. Finally, the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda on critical raw materials will be re-examined.”
This announcement comes amid escalating violence in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels and Rwandan troops have advanced since January, occupying key cities such as Goma and Bukavu.
Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka reported on February 24, 2025, that the conflict has claimed over 7,000 lives since the start of the year.
The EU-Rwanda MoU was initially designed to foster sustainable value chains for critical raw materials and secure the EU’s supply of strategic minerals, such as coltan, essential for sustainable development and the global energy transition.
It also emphasized both parties’ commitment to promoting responsible mining practices and building local capacity in Rwanda.
However, UN experts have uncovered that Rwanda is blending minerals from M23-controlled areas with its own resources, leading to what they describe as “the largest contamination of mineral supply chains in the Great Lakes region.” The DRC government has criticized the MoU, arguing that it facilitates Rwanda’s exploitation of Congolese resources.
In response, the DRC government declared all mining sites in the Masisi and Kalehe territories “red” on February 12, 2025, prohibiting exploitation in coltan and tin ore areas.
This measure affects 38 mining concessions, particularly in the Rubaya and Nyabibwe sectors, known for their rich deposits of coltan and cassiterite (tin ore).
According to data from the Ecofin Agency, Rwanda’s coltan exports outpaced those of the DRC in 2023, with Rwanda exporting 2,070 tonnes—a 50% increase compared to the DRC’s 1,918 tonnes.
