🔗 Share this article Democratic Republic of Congo Criticizes EU's Rwanda Minerals Agreement as ‘Clear Double Standard’ The DRC has labeled the European Union's ongoing minerals agreement with Rwanda as showing "evident double standards" while enforcing significantly wider sanctions in response to the Ukrainian crisis. Foreign Minister's Strong Criticism Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's foreign minister, called for the EU to implement much stronger measures against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the unrest in eastern DRC. "This demonstrates obvious double standards – I aim to be constructive here – that makes us wondering and interested about grasping why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to implement measures," she declared. Peace Agreement Background The DRC and Rwanda signed a ceasefire deal in June, brokered by the United States and Qatar, aiming to conclude the long-standing conflict. However, lethal incidents on civilians have persisted and a deadline to reach a final settlement was not met in August. UN Report Last year, a United Nations panel found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 rebel group and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations." Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23 and maintains its forces act in national security. Diplomatic Request The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently called upon his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to stop supporting armed groups in the DRC during a European gathering attended by both leaders. "This necessitates you to order the M23 troops supported by your country to halt this deterioration, which has already caused numerous deaths," the leader emphasized. International Restrictions The EU has placed sanctions on 32 individuals and two organizations – a armed faction and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility handling contraband materials of the metal – for their role in intensifying the conflict. Despite these determinations of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the Brussels administration has declined calls to suspend a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali. Economic Implications Wagner characterized the partnership with Rwanda as "void of any credibility in a environment where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off Congolese resources" obtained under severe situations of forced labour, affecting children. The United States and numerous nations have expressed alarm about illicit commerce in precious metals in DRC's east, extracted via forced labour, then smuggled to Rwanda for export to support rebel organizations. Human Catastrophe The violence in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with over 7.8 million people relocated within country in the region and 28 million facing nutritional challenges, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN data. Diplomatic Efforts As the DRC's chief diplomat, Wagner signed the agreement with Rwanda at the American administration in June, which also attempts to give the United States greater access to DRC minerals. She stated that the US remains participating in the peace process and rejected claims that primary interest was the DRC's vast mineral wealth. EU Cooperation The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a summit by declaring that the EU wanted "cooperation based on mutual benefits and honoring independence." She emphasized the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – connecting the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's ocean access. Wagner recognized that the EU and DRC had a strong foundation in the Lobito project, but "significant aspects has been diminished by the crisis in the troubled region."