Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are preparing to commit to working with international partners, including the United States, to overhaul mineral supply chains and implement economic reforms, according to a draft framework seen by Reuters.
The framework is part of a peace deal signed in Washington in June at talks hosted by the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump. The agreement seeks to end years of fighting that has killed thousands and to attract billions of dollars of Western investment into a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium.
A source familiar with the matter said the 17-page draft, which expands on an August outline, is being discussed with stakeholders including the private sector, multilateral banks, and donor agencies. Congo and Rwanda are expected to meet in early October to finalise the framework, with heads of state due to sign it at a later date.
The draft calls on the parties to work with the U.S. and other partners to design regulatory initiatives and reforms aimed at de-risking private sector investment, curbing illicit trade, and increasing transparency.
It also proposes adopting international oversight mechanisms, including the OECD’s responsible mineral supply chain guidance, and providing for third-party inspections of mine sites. The plan further envisions cross-border special economic zones developed with private sector partners.
To ensure follow-through, the framework sets out coordination structures such as an annual high-level summit on regional integration, as well as regular meetings of a steering committee and technical working groups.
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Under the peace deal, Kinshasa and Kigali had pledged to launch the framework within 90 days, alongside a military timetable that included the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern Congo and the conclusion of Congolese operations against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Obstacles to Implementation
However, progress has been slow. A Western diplomat told Reuters that Rwanda had not yet withdrawn its troops and that operations against the FDLR had not begun. The diplomat also noted that a separate mediation effort between Kinshasa and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels under the Doha process was “struggling to move forward.”
“Without progress on security, the partners and even the actors themselves will find it difficult to commit to economic cooperation,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
A Congolese official added that Kinshasa “cannot consider economic cooperation with Rwanda as long as its army occupies part of our territory.”
In last month’s outline, Rwanda and Congo affirmed that each country retained “full, sovereign control” over the exploitation, processing, and export of its natural resources. Both sides pledged to boost mineral processing capacity within their borders, ensure the minerals trade does not fund armed groups, and foster a world-class industrial mining sector with interoperable cross-border supply chains.
