(3 Minutes Read)
Two international agreements were signed within a month. One took place in Washington under U.S. mediation, the other in Doha with Qatar’s support. While the stated goal is stability, experts try to see intentions much beyond that.
Paradigm shift in the political landscape of the Democratic Republic of Congo I happening in recent days. There are diametrically opposite versions of why it is happening: Is it for ensuring peace or for cornering the rare earth the country has in abundance?
Two international agreements were signed within a month. One took place in Washington under U.S. mediation, the other in Doha with Qatar’s support. While the stated goal is stability, experts try to see intentions much beyond that.
Two diplomatic approaches are discernible in these developments. The Doha treaty explicitly names the M23 rebel group, while the Washington agreement avoids the subject altogether. The American approach is more formal and economically driven, while Qatar’s diplomacy aims to involve all stakeholders without offending local sensitivities.
Many feel that rare earth is the cornerstone of increased attention on DRC in recent times and ensuring peace and stability in a land which has seen devastating internal disturbances. There are different players in the theatre. While China and the US slug out to get control over cobalt and lithium, individual companies have drawn swords to protect their interests.
For instance, in Tanganyika province, a dispute between the Congolese state and Australian firm AVZ Minerals over the enormous Manono lithium project highlights the complexity of the country’s mining landscape.
The government suspended the company’s license, prompting arbitration before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington. Yet on July 18, Kinshasa signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S.-based KoBold Metals to develop a section of the same project.
This deal positions KoBold as a key factor in reviving the Roche Dure site, which had been stalled for months. However, AVZ Minerals, the project’s majority stakeholder, argues that the agreement breaches a provisional international ruling from January. That decision required Kinshasa to recognize its subsidiary Dathcom as the legitimate license holder and to safeguard its rights during the legal process.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/uganda-reopens-border-with-drc/
https://trendsnafrica.com/american-company-kobold-metals-to-survey-mineral-resources-in-drc/
Such disputes highlight the urgent need for transparency and sovereignty in managing natural resources. Experts opine that the DRC must review its mining contracts and rebuild a solid legal framework to ensure the population benefits. They call for a strong and strategic response. The DRC must renegotiate its contracts, reform its mining code, and establish fair partnerships. Peace must not serve as a cover for foreign exploitation.
