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The DRC has labeled the European Union's persistent minerals agreement with Rwanda as exhibiting "clear double standards" while enforcing significantly wider penalties in response to the Ukrainian crisis.

Diplomatic Firm Condemnation

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's international affairs chief, urged the EU to enact far more severe restrictions against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the conflict in DRC's eastern territories.

"This shows clear inconsistency – I want to be constructive here – that leaves us curious and interested about understanding why the EU continues to hesitate so much to implement measures," she declared.

Conflict Resolution Background

The DRC and Rwanda signed a ceasefire deal in June, mediated by the United States and Qatar, designed to end the long-standing hostilities.

However, lethal incidents on civilians have persisted and a target date to establish a lasting resolution was passed without success in August.

UN Report

Last year, a United Nations panel reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected supporting M23 and maintains its forces act in self-defence.

Diplomatic Request

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently called upon his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing militants in the DRC during a international conference including both leaders.

"This demands you to command the M23 troops backed by your country to halt this intensification, which has already led to numerous deaths," the leader emphasized.

International Restrictions

The EU has placed sanctions on 32 persons and two entities – a rebel organization and a Rwandan precious metals processor dealing in contraband materials of the metal – for their involvement in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has resisted requests to suspend a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner described the partnership with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a environment where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off African wealth" extracted under harsh circumstances of forced labour, including children.

The United States and various countries have expressed alarm about unauthorized transactions in mineral resources in Congo's eastern region, extracted via compulsory work, then illegally transported to Rwanda for export to support militant factions.

Regional Emergency

The unrest in Congo's east remains one of the world's worst human catastrophes, with exceeding 7.8 million people internally displaced in the region and 28 million confronting nutritional challenges, including 4 million at critical stages, according to UN assessments.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's chief diplomat, Wagner ratified the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also seeks to give the United States greater access to DRC minerals.

She stated that the US remains engaged in the diplomatic negotiations and dismissed suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

International Collaboration

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a conference by declaring that the EU wanted "partnerships based on mutual benefits and honoring independence."

She featured the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – connecting the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a strong foundation in the Lobito project, but "significant aspects has been eclipsed by the situation in Congo's east."