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The DRC has characterized the European Union's continued minerals agreement with Rwanda as showing "obvious hypocrisy" while imposing much broader sanctions in response to the Ukrainian crisis.

Foreign Minister's Firm Condemnation

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's top diplomat, demanded the EU to implement far more severe sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the violence in DRC's eastern territories.

"This demonstrates obvious double standards – I strive to be constructive here – that leaves us curious and interested about grasping why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to enact sanctions," she emphasized.

Peace Agreement Background

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a peace agreement in June, brokered by the America and Qatar, intending to end the protracted hostilities.

However, deadly attacks on non-combatants have continued and a target date to establish a comprehensive peace agreement was missed in August.

UN Report

Last year, a group of UN experts found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were operating with the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected backing M23 and claims its forces act in self-protection.

Leadership Call

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently called upon his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to stop supporting armed groups in the DRC during a Brussels event attended by both leaders.

"This demands you to command the M23 troops assisted by your country to end this escalation, which has already led to numerous deaths," Tshisekedi stated.

EU Sanctions

The EU has enacted measures targeting 32 people and two entities – a rebel organization and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility processing contraband materials of the metal – for their role in prolonging the conflict.

Despite these findings of international law breaches by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the EU executive has resisted calls to suspend a 2024 resource partnership with Kigali.

Resource Concerns

Wagner described the agreement with Rwanda as "void of any credibility in a situation where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off Congolese resources" extracted under severe situations of coerced employment, involving children.

The United States and numerous nations have expressed alarm about unauthorized transactions in gold and tantalum in DRC's east, extracted via coerced employment, then illegally transported to Rwanda for export to benefit rebel organizations.

Regional Emergency

The violence in Congo's east remains one of the world's gravest emergency situations, with over 7.8 million people forced from homes in the region and 28 million experiencing nutritional challenges, 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 American administration in June, which also aims to give the United States greater access to DRC minerals.

She asserted that the US remains involved in the diplomatic negotiations and dismissed suggestions that sole motivation was the DRC's extensive resource deposits.

European Partnership

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, opened a gathering by stating that the EU wanted "partnerships based on common interests and acknowledging autonomy."

She featured the Lobito corridor – multi-modal transport links – joining the mining regions of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "significant aspects has been overshadowed by the situation in the troubled region."