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The Central African nation has described the European Union's persistent minerals deal with Rwanda as showing "clear hypocrisy" while implementing significantly wider restrictions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Government Sharp Rebuke

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the African nation's international affairs chief, called for the EU to enact significantly tougher restrictions against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the violence in Congo's eastern region.

"This demonstrates clear hypocrisy – I strive to be helpful here – that makes us wondering and inquisitive about comprehending why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to take action," she declared.

Conflict Resolution History

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a peace agreement in June, mediated by the US and Qatar, designed to conclude the long-standing dispute.

However, deadly attacks on non-combatants have endured and a target date to achieve a final settlement was missed in August.

UN Report

Last year, a group of UN experts reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23 insurgent faction and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected backing M23 and maintains its forces act in national security.

Diplomatic Request

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently appealed to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to armed groups in the DRC during a European gathering including both leaders.

"This demands you to instruct the M23 troops assisted by your country to stop this intensification, which has already led to numerous fatalities," the leader emphasized.

International Restrictions

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 individuals and two entities – a militant group and a Rwandan gold refiner processing contraband materials of the metal – for their participation in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these conclusions of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has declined calls to terminate a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner described the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "void of any credibility in a context where it has been verified that Rwanda has been illegally extracting Congolese resources" mined under severe situations of compulsory work, including children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about illegal trade in precious metals in Congo's eastern region, mined via forced labour, then illegally transported to Rwanda for shipment to benefit rebel organizations.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises, with over 7.8 million people forced from homes in affected areas and 28 million confronting nutritional challenges, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's chief diplomat, Wagner ratified the accord with Rwanda at the US presidential residence in June, which also seeks to give the United States greater access to African wealth.

She stated that the US remains participating in the peace process and dismissed claims that main concern was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

European Partnership

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a conference by emphasizing that the EU wanted "collaboration based on shared objectives and acknowledging autonomy."

She featured the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – joining the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner recognized that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been eclipsed by the situation in Congo's east."