US and DRC Explore Minerals and Security Partnership Amid Ongoing Conflict

The United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are in discussions to form a minerals and security partnership, according to Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser for Africa to President Donald Trump, following a meeting with DRC President Felix Tshisekedi on Thursday in Kinshasa.

Boulos visited the capital to review Tshisekedi’s proposal, which involves the DRC offering its rich mining resources in exchange for US security assistance in the country’s ongoing battle against a rebel group in its eastern region, reportedly backed by neighboring Rwanda.

The DRC is the world’s second-largest copper producer and the leading producer of cobalt, a key mineral for electric vehicle batteries.

“We have reviewed the DRC’s proposal, and I am pleased to announce that the president and I have agreed on a path forward for its development,” Boulos stated after the meeting, as shared in audio from Tshisekedi’s office. He also highlighted the US government’s eagerness to increase private sector investment in Congo’s mining industry.

Tshisekedi hopes that increasing US interest in the country’s critical minerals—such as lithium, tantalum, and manganese—will bolster his government’s position as it struggles with the ongoing rebellion in the east.

Although Boulos did not disclose specific details about the proposed partnership, he reaffirmed that the US is focused on ending the conflict. “We seek a lasting peace that affirms the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC, and lays the foundations for a thriving regional economy,” Boulos said.

Following his visit to Congo, Boulos will travel to Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda to discuss the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo and explore opportunities for US private sector investment in the region.

Boulos is also Trump’s Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs and the father-in-law of his daughter, Tiffany.

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