Rwanda and DR Congo Draft Economic Framework to Reform Mineral Trade After Washington Peace Deal

Kigali/Kinshasa, September 15 — Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are preparing to commit to a landmark economic framework aimed at reforming mineral supply chains and attracting foreign investment, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. The initiative builds on a peace agreement brokered in Washington earlier this year under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

The draft framework, currently under discussion among stakeholders including private sector representatives, multilateral banks, and donor agencies, outlines steps for cooperation on mineral trade, infrastructure, energy, public health, and environmental protection. Congo and Rwanda are expected to meet in early October to finalize the document, with a formal signing by heads of state to follow.

The 17-page draft seeks to strengthen transparency and reduce illicit trade in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium—minerals vital to global supply chains. It calls for the adoption of international best practices, including guidance from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), third-party mine inspections, and the creation of cross-border special economic zones. The framework also sets up coordination mechanisms, including an annual high-level summit and regular meetings of a steering committee and technical working groups.

As part of the June peace accord, Rwanda pledged to withdraw troops from eastern Congo within 90 days, while Kinshasa committed to concluding operations against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia that includes remnants of forces behind the 1994 genocide. Both steps were intended to pave the way for regional economic integration.

However, diplomats and officials warn that progress on the security front has stalled. “One of the main obstacles to finalizing and signing this regional agreement is the fact that the other peace processes have stalled,” a Western diplomat said, noting that Rwanda has not yet withdrawn troops and operations against the FDLR have not begun. The separate Doha-led initiative to mediate between Kinshasa and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels is also faltering. Earlier this year, M23 fighters seized major cities and mineral-rich areas in eastern Congo, intensifying the conflict.

A Congolese official told Reuters that economic cooperation cannot advance while Rwandan troops remain on Congolese soil. “Kinshasa cannot consider economic cooperation with Rwanda as long as its army occupies part of our territory,” the official said.

The draft framework nonetheless emphasizes the principle of sovereignty, affirming that both countries maintain full control over the exploitation, processing, and export of their natural resources. It further pledges to build world-class industrial mining sectors and ensure that mineral revenues no longer fund armed groups.

If successfully implemented, the initiative could unlock billions of dollars in Western investment while addressing one of the region’s most persistent drivers of conflict: the struggle for control over eastern Congo’s vast mineral wealth.