Strategic Mineral Diplomacy in the DRC: A Tragedy for African Self-Determination?

By Colonel Festus B Aboagye (Retired)*

As Presidents Zelensky and Trump meet at the White House to discuss Ukraine's mineral-for-security deal, I am publishing this timely analysis examining the parallel developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

President Felix Tshisekedi's recent proposal to offer the United States and European nations preferential access to the DRC's critical mineral wealth in exchange for military intervention against Rwanda-backed rebels represents more than mere diplomatic maneuvering. It signals a deeply concerning regression to colonial-era resource extraction patterns, undermining decades of Pan-African aspirations for genuine sovereignty and self-determination.

This policy commentary examines the historical precedents, political constraints, and strategic implications of what appears to be a pernicious reaction to security challenges rather than a sustainable path toward peace and development. Tshisekedi's government may frame this approach as pragmatic statecraft, but does it not risk sacrificing long-term economic independence for short-term military assistance?

As critical minerals reshape international security relationships in the 21st century, the DRC's strategy should raise profound questions: Is mineral diplomacy a strategic pivot or a continuation of Africa's tragic resource curse? Can resource-rich African nations ever escape the cycle of extraction and dependency? Read the full analysis to explore these questions and discover alternative pathways to serve immediate security needs and long-term sovereignty objectives.

*Colonel Festus B Aboagye (Retired)Top of FormBottom of Form is a former UNDP Consultant on Voluntary Civilian Disarmament, S/Sudan (2022) & UNDP Consultant/DDR Adviser, South Sudan (Jan-Mar 2020). Read full Policy Commentary: Strategic Mineral Diplomacy
In the DRC: A Global Security Perspective here