DRC’s Conflict Driven by Critical Minerals?

Mining and the control of mineral resources have been among the key drivers of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the past 25 years. Indeed, despite sitting on an estimated $24 trillion in mineral resources, the country’s mineral-rich eastern region has been the battlefield for more than 120 armed groups including ADF, CODECO, and M23 (source) (source). Prolonged violence has given rise to a concerning humanitarian context. For instance, more than 26 million Congolese experience severe food insecurity, and 60 million Congolese live in extreme poverty (source). Yet, the country is extremely rich in strategic minerals for the technology sector such as gold, tin, tungsten, and tantalum (3T) (source). More recently, the DRC’s supply of cobalt – over 50% of total global reserves – is vital for lithium-ion batteries (source). Thus, control over the country’s mineral wealth is critical for the future of the DRC and for international markets.