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The Central African nation has characterized the European Union's ongoing minerals deal with Rwanda as showing "evident hypocrisy" while enforcing much broader sanctions in response to the war in Ukraine.

Government Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's foreign minister, demanded the EU to impose far more severe restrictions against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the violence in DRC's eastern territories.

"This shows evident inconsistency – I aim to be constructive here – that makes us wondering and inquisitive about understanding why the EU again struggles so much to take action," she emphasized.

Ceasefire Deal Context

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a conflict resolution in June, mediated by the US and Qatar, designed to conclude the decades-old conflict.

However, deadly attacks on civilians have endured and a time limit to establish a lasting resolution was passed without success in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a group of UN experts stated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has consistently denied assisting M23 and asserts its forces act in self-protection.

Diplomatic Request

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to rebel forces in the DRC during a Brussels event featuring both leaders.

"This requires you to instruct the M23 troops assisted by your country to end this intensification, which has already caused numerous deaths," Tshisekedi stated.

European Measures

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 people and two organizations – a armed faction and a Rwandan precious metals processor dealing in unauthorized sources of the metal – for their participation in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these findings of rights violations by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has rejected calls to suspend a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner labeled the partnership with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a situation where it has been confirmed that Rwanda has been siphoning off African wealth" mined under brutal conditions of coerced employment, involving children.

The United States and many others have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in mineral resources in DRC's east, obtained via coerced employment, then smuggled to Rwanda for export to finance rebel organizations.

Regional Emergency

The violence in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with more than 7.8 million people internally displaced in the region and 28 million facing nutritional challenges, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

International Engagement

As the DRC's principal negotiator, Wagner approved the accord with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also aims to give the United States enhanced entry to DRC minerals.

She maintained that the US remains involved in the resolution efforts and denied suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

EU Cooperation

The Brussels chief, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a conference by declaring that the EU wanted "partnerships based on shared objectives and respect for sovereignty."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – joining the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a strong foundation in the Lobito project, but "much has been overshadowed by the conflict in the troubled region."