Category: Regional conflict

Rwanda and the M23 rebels are escalating their exploitation of 3T minerals (tin, tungsten, and tantalum), in Rubaya, a mining town in North Kivu province, These ores are purchased from artisanal miners, stored in the large Mushake deposits, and then transported to Rwanda. On May 8, 2024, Antoinette N’Samba, the Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), issued a press release appealing to the United Nations and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to address the illicit exploitation of minerals in Rubaya by Rwanda… Read More Here

The European Union is working with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to improve the traceability of the country’s vast natural resources, following accusations from Kinshasa that Rwanda is looting its mineral wealth. This collaboration comes after a contentious supply deal between the EU and Rwanda. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has criticized the EU-Rwanda agreement, signed in February, as a “provocation.” The DRC and Rwanda have long been at odds, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of supporting the Tutsi-led M23 rebel group. This group has seized significant territories in eastern DRC… Read More Here

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has raised serious concerns about the exploitation and illegal importation of its minerals by Kigali through the M23/RDF rebels. According to a statement by DRC’s Minister of Mines, Antoinette N’Samba Kalambayi, on the instructions of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a tax of $3,000 per ton of coltan and $2,000 per ton of cassiterite has been imposed, with payments being made in Kigali after the sale. “After authorizing the creation of a mining cooperative in Rubaya to supervise artisanal mining, the M23 intensified their efforts… Read More Here

Renewed fighting between M23/RDF rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), supported by the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), commonly known as “Wazalendo,” resumed on Monday, May 13, in several areas of Masisi territory, North Kivu. The clashes are particularly concentrated in Katale and Biteete, approximately 13 kilometers from Masisi center, the territory’s capital. Tensions and Massive Population Displacements Voltaire Batundi, president of Masisi civil society, reported that the fighting had moved closer to Masisi center, causing a massive exodus of residents… Read More Here

Nicolas Berlanga, the European Union Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reiterated the EU’s condemnation of any support provided by Rwanda to the M23 rebels during Europe Day celebrations. Speaking to the press on May 9, Berlanga called for Rwandan troops to vacate Congolese territory. Expressing solidarity with the EU’s stance, Berlanga condemned the M23 offensive and Rwanda’s backing of the rebel group, stressing the imperative need for the withdrawal of Rwandan military forces from Congolese soil. Rejecting a military resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC, Berlanga… Read More Here

A young man has tragically lost his life after being struck by a bullet while sleeping in his cabin at the Kibati displaced persons camp in Nyiragongo territory, North Kivu. Thierry Gasasiro, a local civil society rapporteur, reported that the camp experienced multiple hours of gunfire during the night, amidst the presence of FARDC soldiers, Wazalendo militiamen, and armed bandits. Gasasiro revealed that the victim was hit by a bullet of unknown origin, highlighting the escalating insecurity in Nyiragongo since the onset of the M23/RDF conflict. Incidents of murder, theft,… Read More Here

Fresh clashes erupted early Wednesday morning, May 8, 2024, on several hills surrounding the strategically important city of Sake in the Masisi territory, approximately twenty kilometers from Goma. The confrontations involved M23 rebels, backed by the Rwandan army (RDF), and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), supported by the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP), also known as “Wazalendo.” Reports from local civil society sources indicate that the M23 rebels initiated the attack with the intention of seizing Sake but were ultimately repelled. Olivier Munguiko, a civil society representative… Read More Here

As the European Union seeks to secure a steady supply of essential minerals for the green revolution, particularly from Rwanda, concerns arise regarding the potential smuggling of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The EU’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rwanda, aimed at fostering sustainable and resilient value chains for critical raw materials, is seen as a positive step towards supporting clean technology initiatives. However, the reality is far more complex. Rwanda, a country that exports more minerals than it mines, has been implicated in the smuggling… Read More Here