As host to some of the world’s most vital strategic minerals, the Democratic Republic of Congo took center stage on Tuesday, July 14, in New York during the high-level United Nations meeting on critical minerals for the energy transition. This UN initiative brought together member states to address the governance challenges surrounding minerals essential for global energy transformation.

The Congolese delegation was led by Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, La Francophonie, and Congolese Abroad, accompanied by members of the DRC’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

In her address, the foreign minister emphasized that for the DRC, the issue of critical minerals extends far beyond economic considerations. Highlighting the situation in the country’s eastern regions, she pointed to Rubaya—a major coltan mining hub—as a case in point.

« For countries like mine, this is no longer merely an economic question. Illicit exploitation undermines state authority, erodes sovereignty, and can lead to violations of territorial integrity. The case of Rubaya is stark: its mines account for roughly 15% of global tantalum demand. According to UN expert reports, at least 1,400 tons of coltan were smuggled into Rwanda in the year following seizures by the M23—a group armed and backed by Kigali—generating approximately $800,000 monthly for this militia,» the foreign minister stated.

The minister also condemned the UN’s failure to impose sanctions on Rwanda’s Defense Forces despite documented evidence presented by UN experts.

« Despite this overwhelming evidence, Rwanda’s Defense Forces remain unscathed by UN sanctions. This reflects both a failure to enforce existing mechanisms and a broader flaw in the international architecture that continues to treat natural resource governance as a development issue—even when illicit exploitation fuels armed conflict, erodes sovereignty, and violates territorial integrity,» Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner declared.

During her remarks, the DRC reaffirmed its commitment—through its current presidency of the UN Security Council—to champion a framework linking natural resource governance directly to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.

« That is why, during our Security Council presidency, the Democratic Republic of Congo advocates for a coherent framework connecting natural resources to conflict prevention, international peace and security, and shared prosperity. We welcome the Secretary-General’s guiding principles and concrete recommendations, but these will only matter if they translate into measurable changes on the ground,» the foreign minister noted.

On behalf of the DRC, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner underscored the need to forge more balanced partnerships with critical mineral-producing countries. She called for shared accountability across all actors in the mineral value chain.

« Partnerships must transcend mere access to raw materials. They should support local and regional value addition, infrastructure, technology transfer, skills development, industrialization, market access, and financing. Responsibility must extend across the entire value chain—from the mine to the factory floor. It cannot stop at the mine’s gates. Producers, traders, processors, financial institutions, manufacturers, and consumer nations all share this responsibility,» she stressed.

Addressing traceability, the deputy prime minister argued that systems must effectively curb fraud and armed group financing without penalizing legitimate artisanal miners.

« Traceability must combat fraud, smuggling, and conflict financing without excluding legitimate artisanal producers, creating new market barriers, or placing full compliance responsibility on producing nations. This approach aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals: clean energy, decent work, industrialization, responsible production, climate action, strong institutions, and global partnerships,» she explained.

Concluding her intervention, the foreign minister stressed that the success of the global energy transition must be measured not only by industrial output but also by its impact on the people of resource-rich nations.

« Progress toward one goal must never come at the expense of another. Ultimately, the energy transition’s success will not be measured solely by the number of batteries, electric vehicles, or wind turbines produced. It will be measured by whether the countries, workers, and communities whose resources make this transition possible are safer, more sovereign, and more prosperous because of it,» Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner asserted.

These initiatives unfold against a backdrop of strategic partnerships between the DRC and the United States on critical minerals, as well as the Washington Agreement signed between Kinshasa and Kigali. This accord includes de-escalation measures, the gradual withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese soil, and the neutralization of armed groups operating in eastern DRC—particularly the FDLR, which Kigali views as a security threat. Despite this diplomatic framework, widely praised at its signing, the security situation remains fragile. On the ground, the Doha Process—facilitated by Qatar to mediate between Kinshasa and the M23 rebellion—remains stalled.

The AFC/M23 rebels, accused by Kinshasa, the UN, and multiple international partners of receiving Rwandan support, continue to control the cities of Goma and Bukavu, along with several other localities in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Clashes persist across various zones, while diplomatic efforts struggle to yield lasting results. This disparity once again highlights the persistent gap between announced diplomatic progress and realities on the ground.