The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has proposed a strategic exchange to the United States, offering access to its critical minerals and infrastructure projects in return for security assistance, Bloomberg reports.
The DRC seeks support in countering an ongoing rebellion that it claims is backed by Rwanda, tying its vast mineral wealth to efforts to bolster national security.
In a direct appeal, the DRC has called for an urgent meeting between President Félix Tshisekedi and US President Donald Trump.
The proposed deal would give US companies priority access to critical minerals vital for the global energy transition.
The request, outlined in a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, highlights the DRC’s urgent need for support amid ongoing internal conflict.
With its mining sector—especially copper production—currently dominated by Chinese companies, the DRC sees a partnership with the US as a way to diversify its economic alliances and curb China’s influence.
The proposal grants US companies operational control, exclusive extraction and export rights, involvement in a deep-water port project, and the establishment of a joint strategic mineral stockpile.
In return, the US would offer military training, equipment, and direct security assistance, including access to military bases to safeguard key resources.
A US-Africa business group supporting the DRC emphasized in the letter: “As the world’s largest supplier of cobalt and a key producer of lithium, tantalum, and uranium, the DRC’s resources are crucial to US industrial competitiveness and national security.”
The US State Department has signaled willingness to explore potential mining partnerships, viewing such collaborations as a means to bolster both economies.
However, the deal’s prospects remain uncertain. Previous efforts under Joe Biden to involve US companies in the DRC’s mineral sector faced obstacles due to concerns over corruption, environmental damage, and labor rights violations.
Moreover, the US has long been cautious about supporting the DRC’s military, which has faced allegations of human rights abuses.
Joshua Walker, program director for the Congo Research Group at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation, noted the challenges of renegotiating mining contracts and questioned the Trump administration’s ability to rally US investors.
The new administration’s stance on addressing Rwandan aggression in the DRC remains uncertain.
The letter, made public through the Foreign Agents Registration Act website, was sent by lobbyist Aaron Poynton on behalf of Pierre Kanda Kalambayi, chair of the Congolese Senate’s Committee on Defence, Security, and Border Protection.
Similar letters were also sent to other key US officials, signaling the DRC’s broader push for a minerals-for-security agreement.
