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The Democratic Republic of Congo has characterized the European Union's ongoing minerals partnership with Rwanda as showing "evident double standards" while imposing far more extensive sanctions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Government Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the African nation's foreign minister, urged the EU to enact far more severe restrictions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the conflict in eastern DRC.

"It represents obvious hypocrisy – I aim to be productive here – that makes us wondering and interested about understanding why the EU continues to hesitate so much to implement measures," she declared.

Conflict Resolution Background

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a ceasefire deal in June, brokered by the United States and Qatar, aiming to end the protracted hostilities.

However, deadly attacks on non-combatants have endured and a time limit to reach a lasting resolution was not met in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a international assessment team reported that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 insurgent faction and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected assisting M23 and claims its forces act in national security.

Diplomatic Request

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

"This requires you to instruct the M23 troops assisted by your country to stop this deterioration, which has already led to sufficient deaths," Tshisekedi stated.

EU Sanctions

The EU has enacted measures targeting 32 individuals and two organizations – a rebel organization and a Rwandan gold refiner processing illegal supplies of the metal – for their participation in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these conclusions of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has resisted demands to terminate a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner described the partnership with Rwanda as "completely untrustworthy in a situation where it has been verified that Rwanda has been siphoning off DRC minerals" obtained under brutal conditions of coerced employment, involving children.

The United States and many others have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in gold and tantalum in DRC's east, obtained via compulsory work, then smuggled to Rwanda for shipment to support militant factions.

Regional Emergency

The violence in Congo's east remains one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with more than 7.8 million people relocated within country in eastern DRC and 28 million confronting nutritional challenges, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN reports.

Diplomatic Efforts

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner approved the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also seeks to give the United States enhanced entry to Congolese natural resources.

She asserted that the US remains participating in the resolution efforts and denied suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

EU Cooperation

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a gathering by emphasizing that the EU wanted "partnerships based on common interests and respect for sovereignty."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – linking the mineral heartlands of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a strong foundation in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been diminished by the conflict in Congo's east."