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The Central African nation has labeled the European Union's ongoing minerals agreement with Rwanda as showing "clear hypocrisy" while imposing far more extensive penalties in response to the Ukrainian crisis.

Government Strong Criticism

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's foreign minister, demanded the EU to implement significantly tougher sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the unrest in DRC's eastern territories.

"This demonstrates clear hypocrisy – I strive to be productive here – that makes us curious and concerned about understanding why the EU again struggles so much to take action," she declared.

Peace Agreement History

The DRC and Rwanda signed a conflict resolution in June, facilitated by the America and Qatar, aiming to end the protracted conflict.

However, fatal assaults on ordinary citizens have continued and a target date to establish a final settlement was missed in August.

International Findings

Last year, a United Nations panel found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were fighting alongside the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "de facto control of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected backing M23 and maintains its forces act in self-defence.

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing rebel forces in the DRC during a European gathering attended by both leaders.

"This demands you to order the M23 troops supported by your country to halt this escalation, which has already resulted in numerous deaths," the leader emphasized.

International Restrictions

The EU has imposed restrictions against 32 persons and two organizations – a militant group and a Rwandan gold refiner handling contraband materials of the metal – for their role in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these findings of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has resisted demands to suspend a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Mineral Issues

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a context where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off Congolese resources" mined under severe situations of forced labour, affecting children.

The United States and many others have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in gold and tantalum in DRC's east, obtained via forced labour, then illegally transported to Rwanda for international trade to finance armed groups.

Human Catastrophe

The violence in eastern DRC remains one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises, with more than 7.8 million people internally displaced in affected areas and 28 million facing food insecurity, including 4 million at emergency levels, according to UN assessments.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner ratified the accord with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also aims to give the United States expanded opportunity to Congolese natural resources.

She stated that the US remains involved in the resolution efforts and dismissed suggestions that primary interest was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

International Collaboration

The Brussels chief, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated a gathering by declaring that the EU wanted "partnerships based on mutual benefits and acknowledging autonomy."

She featured the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – linking the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner acknowledged that the EU and DRC had a firm groundwork in the Lobito project, but "much has been eclipsed by the conflict in eastern DRC."