The United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in talks on a mineral agreement in the Central African nation rich in resources, according to a senior American official.
“You have heard of a mineral agreement. We have examined the Congo’s proposal. I am happy to announce that the president and I agreed to follow for his development,” said US Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, after meeting Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa.
Mr. Boulos, who is Tiffany Trump’s stepfather, has not developed the proposals any more, but indicated the involvement of American companies.
“Rest assured that American companies work transparently and stimulate local savings,” he said.
Dr. Congo, which houses large natural reserves such as lithium which is essential for the production of electric batteries and vehicles, has fought against the M23 rebels supported by Rwandans, which have seized large territory areas this year.
Tshisekedi thinks that we are involved in the extraction of minerals could help repress the violence that has tormented the east of the country for almost 30 years.
Currently, the mineral wealth of Dr Congo is largely dominated by Chinese companies.
Aside from security reasons, there are also economic motivations to continue the agreement.
Joseph Bangakya, Congolese legislator and president of a parliamentary group of Dr Congo-US, told the Reuters news agency that legislators were preparing a bill to improve the country’s business climate.
“It is essential for our country to conclude a trade agreement with the United States,” he said, adding that Washington sought to support peace efforts in eastern Dr. Congo.
“We want a lasting peace that affirms the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC,” said Bangakya. “There cannot be an economic prosperity without security.”
On Tuesday, the United States Department of State said that the goal of Mr. Boulos’s trip was to “advance sustainable peace efforts in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and promote the investment of the American private sector in the region”.
Speaking after his meeting with the Congolese president, Mr. Boulos said they also discussed the country’s conflict.
“The United States remains determined to support the end of the conflict,” he said, adding that it wanted a result which “affirms the territorial integrity of the DRC”.
Mr. Boulos, who has been a senior advisor to Washington on Arab affairs and the Middle East since December, should also visit Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.
It has commercial interests in Africa, especially in a company based in Nigeria which distributes vehicles and engine equipment in West Africa.
