France fully supports DRC’s diplomatic push on natural resources at UN
- International Relations
As current President of the United Nations Security Council, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has made it a priority to address what it views as a critical driver of modern conflicts: the governance of natural resources. Kinshasa hosted a special “Arria-formula” meeting in New York on July 13 to examine the links between resource extraction and peacebuilding. This diplomatic push will culminate on July 22 with a high-level debate chaired by President Félix Tshisekedi, focusing on “Natural Resource Governance as the Foundation for Peace, Security, and Prosperity.”
Through this initiative, the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, is highlighting what it describes as a “normative gap” in how natural resources are governed in conflict and post-conflict settings. Current frameworks—including mineral traceability, corporate due diligence, and mechanisms to curb conflict financing—are deemed fragmented and inconsistent. The DRC is advocating for a more integrated international approach that aligns resource governance with conflict prevention and international security efforts.
From Economic Focus to Strategic Priority
The DRC is pushing for a paradigm shift: natural resources should no longer be treated merely as economic assets but as strategic elements of peace and security that deserve a permanent place on the UN Security Council’s agenda. This message has resonated with France, whose Permanent Representative to the UN reaffirmed Paris’s support for the initiative.
“Natural resources must serve as engines for sustainable and equitable development for the populations and countries that possess them. They must be shielded from exploitation by predatory actors and prevented from being weaponized. France fully endorses the DRC’s objective to strengthen and harmonize international efforts aimed at ensuring the responsible use of these resources. We are prepared to actively contribute to the Security Council’s work in support of the high-level debate that the DRC will host next week, in the presence of President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi,” stated Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
This diplomatic momentum comes as the DRC chairs the Security Council for July, following a July 8 briefing on conflict-related sexual violence under the leadership of Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka. That session underscored the human cost of war economies and emphasized the urgent need for stronger prevention, survivor protection, accountability, and reparations mechanisms.
Diplomatic Efforts Amid Ongoing Instability
These initiatives unfold against the backdrop of a strategic partnership between the DRC and the United States on critical minerals, as well as the Washington Agreement signed between Kinshasa and Kigali. The latter includes measures to de-escalate tensions, the progressive withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory, and the neutralization of armed groups operating in eastern DRC—particularly the FDLR, which Rwanda considers a security threat. Despite this diplomatic framework, widely praised at the time of its signing, the security situation remains precarious. On the ground, the Doha Process, mediated by Qatar to facilitate dialogue between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 rebellion, remains stalled.
The AFC/M23 rebels, accused by Kinshasa, the UN, and several international partners of receiving Rwandan support, continue to control key cities such as Goma and Bukavu, as well as several localities in North and South Kivu. Clashes persist in various zones, while diplomatic efforts struggle to yield lasting results. This recurring disconnect between announced diplomatic progress and ground realities once again fuels debates about the persistent gap between policy and practice.”
