Following tariffs, the US holds billions of dollars in mineral investments in Congo
During a visit on Thursday, President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Africa stated that the United States is in negotiations to invest billions of dollars in mineral-rich Congo and wants to assist in putting an end to a conflict that is raging in the country’s east.
The M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have taken over large areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo this year. The country is home to enormous quantities of uranium, lithium, and cobalt, among other minerals.
After a Congolese senator reached out to U.S. officials to propose a minerals-for-security agreement, the U.S. announced last month that it is open to exploring vital minerals partnerships with Congo. The U.S. shocked the globe on Wednesday by announcing a 10% baseline tariff on all imports.
“A minerals agreement has come to your attention. After meeting with Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, U.S. senior adviser Massad Boulos stated, “We have reviewed the Congo’s proposal, and… the president and I have agreed on a path forward for its development.”
Congo’s proposal and the specifics of any possible agreement were not disclosed to the public on Thursday.
China and its mining businesses presently control Congo’s minerals, which are utilized in electric automobiles and cell phones.
Although it’s uncertain how the United States would act in Congo, Boulos hinted that American businesses will be active.
“You can be confident that American businesses are doing ethically and will boost regional economies. “These investments amount to several billions of dollars,” he stated.
The president of a parliamentary group dedicated to friendship between the United States and Congo, Joseph Bangakya, told Reuters that lawmakers were working on a bill to improve the business environment in the Central African nation.
“It is essential for our country to achieve a trade agreement with the United States,” he stated.
The U.S. wants to help bring about peace in the east, where M23 has taken control of the two biggest cities in eastern Congo, killing thousands and forcing hundreds of thousands to leave, Boulos continued.
“We want a lasting peace that affirms the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC,” he stated. “There can be no economic prosperity without security.”
