DRC/Rwanda Peace Deal: Perspectives on Minerals, Security and Human Rights

Jul 8, 2025
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
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The DRC is a major supplier of critical minerals such as coltan , copper and cobalt , all essential to the technology, security, and energy sectors. However, these minerals have long been at the heart of conflicts opposing the M23 rebel group, allegedly backed by Rwanda, to the DRC government. In mining areas seized by rebels in mineral-rich zones, there have been continuous allegations of forced labour, unsafe working conditions, child labour, community rights violations, and environmental harm. While data from the Resource Centre’s Transition Minerals Tracker indicates that such abuses are widespread across the DRC mining sector, not only in conflict areas, the escalation of conflict and the rebels’ control of mines have likely worsened existing problems.