In a letter to the E.U, a coalition of international civil society organizations and NGOs condemned the ongoing expansion of Rwandan-backed M23 rebels into Congolese territory.
Addressed to EU President Ursula von der Leyen, Vice-President Séjourné, and other senior officials, the letter alleged that Rwanda has steadily escalated its military presence in the DRC, both directly and through its support for the M23 militia.
The group further criticized the ongoing partnership between the EU and Rwanda, including the European Investment Bank’s (EIB) agreement with Rwanda for investments in critical raw materials.
Last year, the European Union and Rwanda signed an agreement to develop sustainable value chains for critical raw materials.
The agreement focuses on five key areas: sustainable raw material value chains, responsible production with ESG standards, infrastructure investment, research and innovation, and capacity-building through training and enforcement.
“Already widely contested at the time of its signing, this agreement has become entirely unacceptable as the conflict escalates. It contradicts the EU’s core values and raises serious ethical and legal concerns about potential complicity in the suffering of the Congolese people.”
“Under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), the EU must urgently reassess any mining project involving Rwanda, or risk legitimizing the illegal exploitation of DRC resources and indirectly financing war crimes, human rights violations, and regional instability.” the letter said
- Withdraw from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rwanda.
- Suspend all mineral-related strategic projects involving Rwanda.
- Support anti-corruption efforts and resource governance in the DRC.
- Ensure transparency and accountability in global mineral supply chains relevant to EU interests.
Coltan: Rwanda, DR Congo’s economic mineral
The DRC and Rwanda are the world’s top coltan exporters, essential for electronics.
Between 2014 and 2023, both countries exported 32,702 tons combined. In 2023, Rwanda exported 2,070 tons, surpassing the DRC’s 1,918 tons for the fifth time since 2014.
Rwanda previously led in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019, with exports peaking at 2,302 tons in 2014 before fluctuating below 2,000 tons until last year.
The DRC led coltan exports in 2020 with 2,466 tons. Over the past decade, the DRC and Rwanda alternated as top exporters, but the DRC exported the most overall (17,330 tons vs Rwanda’s 15,374 tons).
Rwanda’s exports surged 50% from 2022 to 2023, according to the US Geological Survey, prompting concerns from analysts that some of this coltan may not have originated from Rwanda.
The rare mineral is essential for producing electric car batteries, mobile phones, and other electronic devices.
The Democratic Republic of Congo possesses over 70% of the world’s coltan reserves, a resource that has fueled violent conflict in the country’s east for decades.
Over the past year, M23 has rapidly advanced through eastern DR Congo, seizing areas rich in coltan.
Originally formed to defend an ethnic group, the group now funds itself through mining, including the April seizure of Rubaya, a key coltan town.
The M23 controls Rubaya’s coltan industry, operating a “state-like administration” by issuing permits and collecting fees from diggers and traders.
They charge an annual fee, double diggers’ wages, and impose a $7 levy per kilogram of coltan.
The group earns about $800,000 per month from these taxes, which likely fund the rebellion.
