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The Democratic Republic of Congo has characterized the European Union's ongoing minerals agreement with Rwanda as showing "obvious double standards" while implementing far more extensive penalties in response to the Ukraine conflict.

Foreign Minister's Sharp Rebuke

Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the DRC's foreign minister, demanded the EU to enact far more severe sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of fueling the conflict in DRC's eastern territories.

"This shows evident double standards – I aim to be constructive here – that leaves us wondering and interested about grasping why the EU repeatedly finds it difficult so much to take action," she declared.

Ceasefire Deal Background

The DRC and Rwanda ratified a peace agreement in June, facilitated by the America and Qatar, aiming to resolve the protracted conflict.

However, lethal incidents on civilians have continued and a deadline to achieve a lasting resolution was passed without success in August.

UN Report

Last year, a international assessment team stated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were supporting the M23 rebel group and that the Rwandan military was in "effective direction of M23 operations."

Rwanda has repeatedly rejected supporting M23 and claims its forces act in self-defence.

Presidential Appeal

The DRC president, Félix Tshisekedi, recently appealed to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to cease backing rebel forces in the DRC during a European gathering including both leaders.

"This demands you to command the M23 troops backed by your country to stop this escalation, which has already led to sufficient deaths," the president declared.

European Measures

The EU has enacted measures targeting 32 persons and two groups – a militant group and a Rwandan mineral treatment facility handling unauthorized sources of the metal – for their involvement in intensifying the conflict.

Despite these determinations of human rights abuses by the Rwandan army in the DRC, the European Commission has rejected calls to terminate a 2024 minerals deal with Kigali.

Mineral Issues

Wagner characterized the memorandum of understanding with Rwanda as "lacking all legitimacy in a environment where it has been established that Rwanda has been siphoning off African wealth" obtained under severe situations of compulsory work, affecting children.

The United States and many others have voiced apprehension about unauthorized transactions in mineral resources in Congo's eastern region, mined via coerced employment, then trafficked to Rwanda for international trade to support rebel organizations.

Human Catastrophe

The conflict in DRC's eastern territories remains one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with exceeding 7.8 million people internally displaced in affected areas and 28 million experiencing nutritional challenges, including 4 million at crisis conditions, according to UN data.

Global Involvement

As the DRC's top representative, Wagner approved the deal with Rwanda at the White House in June, which also aims to give the United States expanded opportunity to African wealth.

She stated that the US remains engaged in the resolution efforts and rejected claims that primary interest was the DRC's vast mineral wealth.

European Partnership

The EU leader, Ursula von der Leyen, commenced a conference by emphasizing that the EU wanted "collaboration based on mutual benefits and acknowledging autonomy."

She highlighted the Lobito corridor – rail, road and water transport links – connecting the mineral heartlands of the DRC and Zambia to Angola's ocean access.

Wagner admitted that the EU and DRC had a solid basis in the Lobito project, but "much has been diminished by the conflict in Congo's east."