DRC Seeks Exclusive Partnership with US for Critical Minerals and Security Assistance
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has proposed an exclusive partnership with the United States, offering access to its vast mineral resources and infrastructure projects in exchange for security assistance amid a rebellion supported by neighboring Rwanda.
In a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Congo requested an urgent meeting between Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Donald Trump to discuss a potential agreement that would grant American companies access to some of the world’s most valuable minerals essential for the global energy transition.
“As the world’s largest supplier of cobalt and a major producer of lithium, tantalum, and uranium, the DRC’s resources are crucial for US industrial competitiveness and national security,” said an Africa-US business group lobbying on Congo’s behalf.
The proposed partnership, the letter suggests, presents a unique opportunity for the United States to establish a reliable and exclusive supply chain of critical minerals.
Tshisekedi’s outreach underscores his growing urgency in securing support for his government, which has been battling a rebel group backed by Rwanda, seizing large areas of the mineral-rich eastern region of the DRC.
The US State Department confirmed it was “open to discussing partnerships in this sector” and added that such partnerships with US companies would “strengthen both US and DRC economies.”
However, any deal between the two nations is still uncertain. Former President Donald Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, faced challenges in enticing US companies to invest in Congo’s mineral sector due to concerns over corruption, environmental degradation, and labor issues.
Additionally, the US has been hesitant to provide military aid to Congo’s forces, which have been accused of human rights abuses.
“For the DRC, this would likely involve lengthy and complex renegotiations of mining contracts, and it’s uncertain whether the Trump administration can successfully mobilize US investors,” said Joshua Walker, program director for the Congo Research Group at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. “It remains unclear whether the new administration will commit substantial resources to addressing Rwanda’s aggression in the DRC.”
The letter was part of a broader diplomatic effort, with similar proposals sent to key US officials, offering a Congolese deal similar to the Trump administration’s proposed minerals-for-security arrangements with Ukraine, which recently collapsed.
The DRC’s mining industry, which is the world’s second-largest source of copper, is currently dominated by Chinese companies. A partnership with the US could allow Tshisekedi to reduce China’s influence and strengthen ties with the West, the lobby group stated.
The letter outlines a proposal that would grant US companies operational control and exclusive rights to extract and export minerals from the DRC.
It also includes plans for a new deep-water port on Congo’s Atlantic coast and the establishment of a joint strategic mineral stockpile.
In return, the US would provide training and equipment for the DRC’s armed forces, as well as direct security assistance. The US would also have access to military bases in the DRC to protect strategic resources.
The letter, made public on the Foreign Agents Registration Act website, was sent by lobbyist Aaron Poynton of the Africa-USA Business Council on behalf of Pierre Kanda Kalambayi, chairman of the Congolese Senate’s Committee on Defense, Security, and Border Protection.
Additional letters were addressed to senior US officials, including the heads of the House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, Republican Senator Ted Cruz, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Republican Representative Rob Wittman, who chairs the House Critical Minerals Policy Working Group.
