UNITED NATIONS — The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) wants more American hands in its critical minerals sector,seeing it not as a China rivalry but as a chance for varied partnerships. Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner shared this during an exclusive interview,stressing need for many collaborations to tap the country’s mineral wealth.
"I don’t like talking about competition. I like talking about complementarity," Wagner said,focusing on partnerships that meet different needs and expertise. Her words come as U.S. aims to tap into DRC's copper,cobalt,lithium, and gold, cutting reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains.
On December 4, 2025,Washington and Kinshasa inked strategic partnership to boost economic ties and develop secure,transparent supply chains for critical minerals. This is part of a larger plan to link economic integration with efforts to resolve DRC-Rwanda conflicts.
Separately, DRC's state mining firm, Gécamines,joined forces with commodities trader Mercuria, potentially giving U.S. buyers priority access to copper and cobalt. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation is eyeing a strategic investment in this tie-up.
Wagner noted U.S.-DRC relations are evolving into a more concrete alliance based on shared economic interests. She expressed hope for benefits for Congolese and American partners,saying,"We welcome more U.S. interests in the DRC that could help transform our mineral wealth into tangible improvements for the lives of Congolese."
At a high-level U.N. meeting on critical minerals, Wagner voiced concerns about global move to clean energy. She warned this shift shouldn't repeat past exploitative economic models, with raw materials taken from Africa while processing and profits stay abroad. "The global energy transition must not become another extractive transition," she cautioned, urging for partnerships that support local processing, infrastructure, tech transfer, and financing .
The U.S. push for mineral access ties closely to ongoing peace talks between DRC and Rwanda . The two nations first signed a peace deal in Washington on June 27, 2025,reaffirmed by Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame on December 4. This framework aims to cut violence and draw Western investment to the mineral-rich region.
Recognizing the peace deal hasn't yet stopped the violence,Wagner noted U.S. commitment to holding violators accountable,which she sees as positive step. "This is a 30-year conflict we’re dealing with. It’s not going to happen overnight," she said, praising U.S. sanctions on the Rwanda Defense Force and senior officials for alleged backing of the M23 rebel group.
Wagner's comments come amid rising worries over conflict-related sexual violence in areas under M23 and Rwandan forces. She highlighted victims' struggles for justice and healthcare, stressing need to restore state authority to provide support. "This is also one of the reasons why we continue to be mobilized against this illegal occupation of eastern DRC," she stated.
In her U.N. address, Wagner pointed to the Rubaya mining area, now under M23 control,crucial for global tantalum supply. U.N . experts estimate at least 1,400 tons of coltan were smuggled into Rwanda in the first year after the mines were seized, making about $800,000 monthly for the armed group. On June 25,the U.S. Treasury imposed more sanctions on a network accused of working with M23 to smuggle minerals from eastern Congo into Rwanda, aiming to back the peace framework and boost transparency in regional mineral supply chains .
