United States: Statement of Concern Related to Certain Minerals Supply Chains from Rwanda and Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Contributing to the Ongoing Conflict

Jul 8, 2024 | U.S. Department of State
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The United States government is deeply concerned by the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the resulting humanitarian crisis. In particular, the United States remains concerned about the role that the illicit trade and exploitation of certain minerals, including artisanally and semi-industrially mined gold and tantalum, from the African Great Lakes Region continues to play in financing conflict. As demonstrated by the United Nations Group of Experts (GoE) and United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), statistical data, and civil society reporting, it is evident that some traders – at times with support from various armed groups and security services – transport and export significant quantities of Congolese-origin minerals out of the country.

In many cases, these minerals directly or indirectly benefit armed groups and move out of the country through Rwanda and to Uganda before moving to major refining and processing countries. These supply chains facilitate illicit exploitation and taxation of these minerals, often involving acts of corruption. Concerns also include mineral extraction, transportation, and export, which have involved a wide range of human rights and labor rights abuses, such as forced labor, the worst forms of child labor, violations of the DRC’s minimum age for employment, and sexual and gender-based violence, particularly in certain artisanal mining areas. The U.S. government encourages reform of flawed industry-led traceability initiatives in the region through, among other things, greater transparency, and stronger due diligence mechanisms.