M23 Rebellion’s Rise Fuels Surge in Illicit Mining Revenues in Eastern Congo
The M23 rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has accelerated its illegal mining activities, with analysts predicting an increase in illicit trade of minerals like coltan and gold, which are smuggled through neighboring Rwanda.
This week, the Rwanda-backed insurgency made significant strides by capturing Goma, the largest city in eastern DRC, marking a pivotal moment in a conflict with government forces that has raised concerns about the potential for regional instability.
While Rwanda denies supporting the rebels, analysts have pointed to the M23 group’s reliance on revenue from illegal mineral trade.
The intensity of these revenue flows escalated after the group seized the coltan-rich Rubaya area in April, according to UN experts.
The DRC, home to vast deposits of coltan, gold, tantalum, and cobalt—key minerals in the production of electric vehicle batteries and mobile phones—has become a crucial player in the global mineral market.
“Mineral exports from Rwanda now exceed a billion dollars annually,” said Jason Stearns, a political scientist at Simon Fraser University and former UN investigator.
“That’s about double what it was two years ago. While the exact figure is unclear, a substantial portion of that likely originates from DRC.”
Rwanda’s ambassador-at-large for the Great Lakes region, Vincent Karega, rejected claims that the M23 rebels were trafficking Congolese minerals.
He did not, however, address allegations that his government is involved in their illicit trade, responding, “Do you think it’s possible to fight and still have time to mine natural resources and refine them?”
The situation is further complicated by the capture of Lumbishi, a mining town in South Kivu province, and the growing threat to Numbi, a region rich in gold, tourmaline, tin, tantalum, and tungsten—vital minerals for electronics.
“Lumbishi’s gold mines will likely become a key revenue stream for M23, especially since gold is easier to monetize than coltan and tin,” said Gregory Mthembu-Salter, director of Phuzumoya Consulting. He noted that much of the gold is likely funneled through Rwanda and possibly Kenya, eventually reaching Dubai.
In 2023, the UAE reported importing about $885 million worth of gold from Rwanda, a 75% increase from the previous five-year average, according to a Reuters analysis of UN Comtrade data. Rwanda, however, is not a major gold producer.
In addition to controlling Rubaya, M23 has monopolized the export of coltan from the nearby Bibatama mine, one of the largest coltan deposits in the world, which supplies the electronics market.,
According to UN experts, the group collects at least $800,000 per month in taxes from coltan production and trade, with Congolese and Rwandan production being mixed together.
Jean Pierre Okenda, a rights lawyer based in Congo, noted that Rwanda is not part of any international transparency initiatives, making it difficult to track the origins of its minerals. “There is a lack of transparency in the mining operations and the geological data,” Okenda said.
