A senior adviser to Donald Trump for Africa, Massad Boulos, refrained from providing details about a potential agreement following discussions with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, in Kinshasa, but indicated it might involve “multibillion-dollar investments.”
“You heard about an agreement on minerals. We reviewed” the proposal from the Democratic Republic of the Congo “and I am pleased to announce that the President and I have agreed on a way forward for its development,” Boulos stated.
American companies “will be able to operate transparently” and “stimulate local economies,” he added.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a mineral used to manufacture lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and smartphones. It also possesses substantial reserves of gold, diamonds, and copper.
Tshisekedi mentioned last month that he was open to an agreement with the United States on the development of critical minerals if American involvement could help quell rebellions and enhance security in the African nation.
The Trump administration is also negotiating a minerals agreement with Ukraine, which was originally proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last fall, in hopes of strengthening his country’s position in the conflict with Russia by linking U.S. interests to Ukraine’s future.
The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been in conflict for decades, with over 100 armed groups, most of which vie for territory in the mineral-rich region near the border with Rwanda.
The conflict has resulted in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, including 100,000 who have fled their homes this year.
