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The Democratic Republic of Congo has characterized the European Union's persistent minerals deal with Rwanda as exhibiting "obvious hypocrisy" while imposing much broader restrictions in response to the Ukrainian crisis.

Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the African nation's international affairs chief, demanded the EU to impose significantly tougher measures against Rwanda, which has been charged with intensifying the conflict in Congo's eastern region.

"It represents evident double standards – I strive to be constructive here – that has us wondering and interested about grasping why the EU continues to hesitate so much to implement measures," she emphasized.

Ceasefire Deal Context

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a ceasefire deal in June, mediated by the United States and Qatar, designed to resolve the protracted dispute.

However, fatal assaults on ordinary citizens have persisted and a target date to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement was missed in August.

UN Report

Last year, a United Nations panel found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has continually refuted supporting M23 and claims its forces act in self-defence.

Presidential Appeal

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

"This demands you to command the M23 troops backed by your country to end this escalation, which has already caused enough deaths," the president declared.

European Measures

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 individuals and two groups – a rebel organization and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility processing unauthorized sources of the metal – for their participation in prolonging the conflict.

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

Mineral Issues

Wagner characterized the agreement with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a environment where it has been established that Rwanda has been diverting DRC minerals" obtained under severe situations of compulsory work, involving children.

The United States and various countries have raised concerns about unauthorized transactions in precious metals in eastern Congo, extracted via forced labour, then illegally transported to Rwanda for export to benefit militant factions.

Humanitarian Crisis

The violence in Congo's east remains one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with exceeding 7.8 million people forced from homes in the region and 28 million facing food insecurity, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN reports.

International Engagement

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

She maintained that the US remains engaged in the diplomatic negotiations and dismissed claims that sole motivation was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

European Partnership

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a conference by emphasizing that the EU wanted "partnerships based on shared objectives and acknowledging autonomy."

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

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a firm groundwork in the Lobito project, but "significant aspects has been overshadowed by the crisis in Congo's east."