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The Central African nation has labeled the European Union's continued minerals agreement with Rwanda as demonstrating "obvious double standards" while implementing far more extensive sanctions in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Government Firm Condemnation

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Congo's top diplomat, called for the EU to enact significantly tougher sanctions against Rwanda, which has been alleged to exacerbate the conflict in DRC's eastern territories.

"It represents obvious inconsistency – I want to be constructive here – that leaves us questioning and concerned about understanding why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to implement measures," she stated.

Ceasefire Deal History

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a ceasefire deal in June, brokered by the United States and Qatar, aiming to conclude the protracted hostilities.

However, deadly attacks on civilians have persisted and a target date to reach a lasting resolution was passed without success in August.

Expert Assessment

Last year, a United Nations panel found that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 militant organization and that the Rwandan military was in "actual command of M23 operations."

Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23 and maintains its forces act in self-protection.

Presidential Appeal

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently urged his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to end assistance to militants in the DRC during a Brussels event including both leaders.

"This demands you to instruct the M23 troops backed by your country to end this deterioration, which has already resulted in enough fatalities," the leader emphasized.

European Measures

The EU has enacted measures targeting 32 persons and two entities – a armed faction and a Rwandan gold refiner handling contraband materials of the metal – for their participation in fuelling the conflict.

Despite these conclusions of rights violations by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has rejected calls to suspend a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Economic Implications

Wagner described the partnership with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a situation where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off DRC minerals" mined under severe situations of forced labour, affecting children.

The United States and many others have raised concerns about unauthorized transactions in precious metals in DRC's east, mined via compulsory work, then illegally transported to Rwanda for international trade to finance rebel organizations.

Regional Emergency

The conflict in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's gravest humanitarian crises, with exceeding 7.8 million people forced from homes in the region and 28 million experiencing food insecurity, including 4 million at critical stages, according to UN data.

International Engagement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner signed the accord with Rwanda at the American administration in June, which also aims to give the United States greater access to DRC minerals.

She maintained that the US remains participating in the diplomatic negotiations and dismissed suggestions that main concern was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

EU Cooperation

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a summit by stating that the EU wanted "cooperation based on shared objectives and honoring independence."

She featured the Lobito corridor – transportation infrastructure transport links – joining the resource-rich areas of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's western shoreline.

Wagner recognized that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "a great deal has been overshadowed by the conflict in Congo's east."