Reinforce the authority of the state and leave aside the European Union Mineral deal with Rwanda
Our reactions about the ongoing tensions between the European Union Minerals Agreement with Rwanda which is highly contested by the Democratic Republic of Congo
The week from February 19th to February 24th, 2024 brought a debate in DRC over the mineral deal signed between the European Union and Rwanda. Currently it is certain that Rwanda is military active in North Kivu Province in DRC with the intention to loot the minerals among other issues the war is focusing at in DRC, this has pushed millions of people now staying in Internally Displaced Camps.
While we disapprove all maneuver from Rwanda to create various armed groups in order to continue looting a strategy that has existed since 1996 up today, and which has benefited the support from multi-international companies that benefit from these minerals, and which has caused the death of over 15million Congolese people, displaced more than 8millions who are living in difficult conditions and has forced more than 2millions Congolese to seek asylum in neighboring countries.
We observe that in some cases Rwanda does not come to DRC directly to pic these minerals, most of the natural resources are exploited by Congolese in areas which are controlled by the DRC Government and in the process the minerals are smuggled to Rwanda where they are sold to Rwandans and others based there. The North Kivu Province which is under the Military regime imposed by the President still is at the center of exporting the minerals to Rwanda through channels which are well planned by those involved.
We intend to believe that signing the deal with Rwanda the European Union may contribute to ensure that these minerals are not coming from the blood of Congolese people who have to be killed in order to get these pieces, especially at the moment when the DRC Government seems incapable to control the whole chain of minerals.
The absence of the authority of the state in many parts in Eastern DRC should be the first to blame and this requires a strong leadership at all levels to reinforce the state and put in place strong measures that can regulate the existing mechanism.
However the current regime has opted for the strategy of complaining and accusing others rather than taking steps to solve the problems to which the country is facing through a clear vision and a full responsibility.
On the issue of these minerals, we believe that efforts should be deployed by the DRC Government to regulate the whole situation inside and ensure that these minerals are not secretly exported to Rwanda.
Thanks