The United States is in talks to invest billions in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral sector and has pledged support for ending the conflict in the country’s east, a senior White House adviser said during a visit on Thursday.
Congo, home to vast reserves of cobalt, lithium, and uranium, has been battling Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who have seized significant territory this year.
Following Washington’s surprise move on Wednesday to impose a 10% tariff on all imports, the U.S. signaled last month its willingness to explore a critical minerals partnership with Congo. The talks were initiated after a Congolese senator proposed a minerals-for-security deal to American officials.
“We have reviewed Congo’s proposal, and the president and I have agreed on a path forward for its development,” U.S. senior adviser Massad Boulos said after meeting Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa. However, details of the agreement remain undisclosed.
Congo’s mineral industry is currently dominated by Chinese companies, but Boulos suggested that U.S. firms would play a key role in future investments.
“American companies will operate transparently and stimulate local economies. These are multi-billion-dollar investments,” he stated.
Beyond economic cooperation, Washington is also pushing for stability in eastern Congo, where thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced amid the M23 offensive, which has led to the fall of two major cities.
“We want a lasting peace that affirms Congo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Boulos said. “Economic prosperity cannot exist without security.”
