The US and Congo DRC Currently Discussing a Minerals for Security Deal

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Congo president meets US lawmaker amid talk of mineral deal​

By Reuters
March 17, 202511:20 AM GMT+3Updated 3 days ago

Democratic Republic of the Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi arrives to attend the opening session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, France October 5, 2024. Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
KINSHASA, March 17 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi has met U.S. lawmaker Ronny Jackson to discuss fighting in the east of the country and opportunities for U.S. investment, Congo's presidency said.
The meeting took place one week after Washington said it was open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo. A Congolese lawmaker in February contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal.
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A presidency statement described Jackson as a "special envoy" for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Tshisekedi faces an insurgency by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in east Congo and his government plans to send a delegation to peace talks in Angola on Tuesday.
Congo has vast reserves of cobalt, lithium and uranium among other minerals.
The government has not publicly detailed a proposal for a deal with the U.S., saying only that it was seeking diversified partnerships.
There was no direct mention of minerals in Sunday's statement.
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"We want to work so that American companies can come and invest and work in the DRC. And to do that, we have to make sure that there is a peaceful environment," Jackson was quoted as saying in the statement.
The long-running conflict in east Congo is rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo's vast mineral resources.
It escalated significantly this year and M23 now controls east Congo's two biggest cities. Rwanda is accused of backing the Tutsi-led M23, which it denies.
Byron Cabrol, senior Africa analyst at Dragonfly, said last week it would be a struggle to entice U.S. mining companies to invest in Congo due to poor infrastructure, insecurity, corruption and the dominance of Chinese firms.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-president-meets-us-lawmaker-amid-talk-mineral-deal-2025-03-17/

Colonialism by another form.

For those that are unaware, Congo is responsible for 70% of the world's global cobalt production and has 50% of its reserves.

Cobalt is a very important component in lithium-ion batteries which are used to power EVs. The value of Congo DRC's mineral reserves is valued at $24tn - this is about the same value of Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves. Resource wise, it is literally one of the richest countries on earth, but GDP-wise it is one of the poorest.

It's going to be a key battleground for the control of its vast mineral resources for the foreseeable future with multinationals, foreign powers and mercenaries all taking part to ensure the country remains unstable so that there is a free flow of these resources outside of the continent. There are no Lumumbas. There are only people who think about their pockets before the progress of their country.

 

[Yzak]

it's what the DRC wants

 

[3rdWorld]

 

[get these nets]

. There are no Lumumbas. There are only people who think about their pockets before the progress of their country.

The assassination of Lumumba was meant as a warning to future leaders of developing countries.

What many of them do, even within the constraints of these arrangements, is exactly what you said. Line their pockets.
There is space for them to make compromises with the West, AND make improvements for their countries. They choose to bend all the way over, and steal as much as they can before they leave office.

 

[CopiousX]

Colonialism by another form.

Its a lost cause. Its moreso about getting whatever value drc can still extract.


The war for east drc sovereignty has already been lost. They should honestly just sell the eastern congo lousiana purchase style, because the central govt of that place is too weak and too far away to manage it. If you've been following the recent news cycle for Congo, the east will balkanize if left to their own devices due to ethnic differences and the central govt will be unable to make a profit by that point.

As of last month, Congo doesnt control that land any more because of the rebels and insurgents, similarly to how Ukraine doesnt control crimea . So if they cut a deal now, they would be getting paid for a piece of land they dont own and have no ability to reclaim which is damn good deal. Certainly before m23 splits off and starts negotiating directly with foreign powers.

 

[Black Hans]

Odd, Russia is also known for its Cobalt mines yet Trump doesn't want to do business with them for Cobalt. Instead he tries to get it through a 3rd world country. "Wha? Neo-colonialism?"

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

There are only people who think about their pockets before the progress of their country.

sounds like every country

 

[Vandelay]

Subs

 

[sportscribe]

sounds like every country

It's a little different though, isn't it?

The problem with African countries is that they have been set up to be entirely extractive. The economies are intensely resource based and focus on primary production. What makes it worse is that they end up paying the most because they then have to import the finished goods from abroad, which have been fundamentally made from their own resources.

This means a lot of the time, there is no incentive to reinvest. It is simply easier and more profitable to cut deals with multinationals than to actually invest in broad scale manufacturing - which is what African countries actually need. A very young population that could conceivably be the engine-room for the world if sufficient capacity was put into manufacturing instead of simple extraction.

Worse yet is the paltry reinvestment into critical infrastructure. You don't even have accessible roads between nations to foster trade and economic cooperation and unlike European countries who can trade in Euros, African countries have to convert their currencies into USD before they can even trade with each other - and at unfavorable rates.

 

[Nkrumah Was Right]

A deep humiliation for the Congolese

 

[Monsanto]

Odd, Russia is also known for its Cobalt mines yet Trump doesn't want to do business with them for Cobalt. Instead he tries to get it through a 3rd world country. "Wha? Neo-colonialism?"

Putin is not letting that happen



China and America are having a king's feast on Africa's inheritance and future