The United States has announced that it is open for discussion with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on minerals-for-security deal a Congolese senator pitched to US officials, the State Department said in a statement to Reuters on Sunday.
The Central Africa nation has been battling Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who have captured large areas of its territory this year. The country is rich in critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium and uranium among others.
A State Department spokesperson stated: “The United States is open to exploring partnerships in this sector that align with the Trump Administration’s America First Agenda,” emphasizing that Congo holds a significant share of the world’s critical minerals essential for advanced technologies.
The spokesperson said the U.S. has worked “to boost U.S. private sector investment in the DRC to develop mining resources in a responsible and transparent manner.”
However, Kinshasa has yet to publicly outline a proposal, instead emphasizing its pursuit of diversified partnerships.
According to Patrick Muyaya, Congolese government spokesman, there is a desire for the country to diversify its partners adding that there were “daily exchanges” between Congo and the U.S.
The U.S. is also reportedly in discussions with Ukraine over a minerals pact.
