DRC's Critical Minerals: The Plunder Must End, and Its Sovereignty Must Be Respected

The conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has lasted for nearly 30 years since 1996, has claimed the lives of an estimated six million people or more, according to researchers and international organizations. The war began when Rwanda said it was intervening to repatriate Rwandan refugees who had fled to the DRC in 1994. Rwandan authorities also argued that former soldiers of the ex-FAR were among those refugees and were planning to launch attacks against Rwanda.

During a United Nations Security Council meeting on July 22, 2026, which was on the role of natural resource governance in promoting peace, security, and sustainable development. UN Secretary-General António Guterres once again addressed the conflict in the DRC. He focused on the illegal exploitation and trade of critical minerals, saying they remain among the key drivers of the conflict and continue to fuel the suffering of millions of civilians.

"Too often, the proceeds from the illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources make peace harder to achieve by empowering armed groups and criminal networks, linking local violence to regional and global illicit supply chains, and reducing incentives for political solutions," Guterres said.

Since the M23 rebellion resumed fighting in late 2021, Rwanda has faced repeated accusations from various international actors of providing military support to the AFC/M23 alliance. It has also been accused of violating the DRC's sovereignty by engaging in the illegal exploitation of Congolese mineral resources, contrary to international law. These allegations are further linked to the export of minerals originating from territories controlled by AFC/M23 in eastern DRC.

Several reports by UN experts published between 2022 and 2025 conclude that there is compelling evidence that minerals—particularly coltan—from areas such as Rubaya under AFC/M23 control have been smuggled into Rwanda before being exported to international markets as Rwandan products.

Rwanda continues to argue that its involvement in the conflict is driven by security concerns posed by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which it says threatens its national security. However, one analyst interviewed for this report argued that the justification lacks credibility, saying that if the FDLR truly posed such a significant threat, there would have been at least one attack on Rwandan territory over the past five years. According to the analyst, no such attack has occurred.

The analyst further argued that if FDLR fighters were indeed present throughout the territories captured by the AFC/M23-RDF coalition, as has been claimed, they should have been defeated and returned to Rwanda. According to the analyst, this suggests that Rwanda may have interests beyond the stated security objectives.

Returning to the UN Security Council meeting, Guterres said the time had come for the world to fundamentally change the way natural resources are managed.

"It is time to break from the long-standing pattern in which natural resources are extracted, profits flow elsewhere, and local communities are left behind in poverty. No more abuse. No more plunder," he said.

As international efforts continue to pressure Rwanda to comply with international demands, the United States imposed sanctions in March 2026 on a refinery, as well as a network of individuals and companies accused of facilitating the illicit trade in minerals. Washington said the network worked with AFC/M23 and handled minerals originating from the DRC through Rwanda.

On July 17, 2026, the UN Security Council also imposed sanctions on several leaders of armed groups operating in eastern DRC, including members of AFC/M23 and the FDLR, in an effort to reduce the groups' capacity to continue fighting.

The conflict in the DRC has increasingly highlighted the strategic interests of various countries, particularly those linked to the country's vast natural resources. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that the issue of critical minerals is not merely an economic matter but also one of peace and national sovereignty. "Our ambition is clear: to transform our natural resources from a source of conflict into a foundation for peace, security and shared prosperity," she said.

Kayikwamba urged the United Nations to establish an international mechanism to trace the origin of critical minerals in order to prevent resources extracted from conflict zones from entering global markets. Although such measures have long been advocated, illicit buyers continue to purchase these minerals because they are available at significantly lower prices.

Rwanda's representative at the meeting said that peace, security and regional cooperation are the essential conditions for ensuring that natural resources become a source of development rather than a driver of conflict.

On the battlefield, fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues despite ongoing peace initiatives taking place through various diplomatic channels.

Heavy clashes are continuing in South Kivu, particularly in the mountainous territories of Fizi and Mwenga, Point Zero and other areas. In North Kivu, fighting also persists in Masisi, Kalehe and several other locations, including Nyiragongo. AFC/M23 says that the Congolese army (FARDC) and its allies have launched attacks on the areas of Malemo, Miandja, Gasenyi, Ruki and Gatovu.

Although major powers and international organizations continue to pursue efforts aimed at ending the conflict, there are growing indications that the path toward peace remains long and uncertain. Prospects for an immediate resolution appear limited, particularly after AFC/M23 announced earlier this month that it had completed the training of more than 9,000 new commando recruits. Should the plunder of the DRC's natural resources come to an end and the country's territorial sovereignty be fully respected, there is little doubt that these would constitute essential pillars for achieving lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.