President Félix Tshisekedi has appointed a specialized coordination team to accelerate negotiations with the Biden administration over a strategic minerals-for-security partnership, as the Democratic Republic of Congo seeks to leverage its vast mineral wealth to secure military assistance amid escalating violence in its eastern provinces.
The arrangement under discussion would grant the United States preferential access to Congo’s critical mineral deposits—including cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements essential for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy systems—in exchange for enhanced security cooperation and military support. The framework forms part of broader U.S.-mediated peace negotiations between Congo and Rwanda, whose proxy conflict has destabilized the mineral-rich Kivu provinces.
Tshisekedi’s coordination team reflects the deal’s strategic importance for Kinshasa. Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner will lead diplomatic engagement, while Mining Minister Kizito Pakabomba oversees technical aspects of mineral concessions. Guy-Robert Lukama, chairman of state-owned Gécamines—Congo’s largest mining enterprise with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion—brings operational expertise to the negotiations. 
The appointment of Pascal Agboyibor, a partner at ASAFO & CO with extensive experience in African mining and infrastructure projects, signals Congo’s intention to structure the partnership as a sophisticated commercial arrangement rather than traditional aid dependency. Agboyibor previously advised on major mining transactions across francophone Africa, including deals exceeding $5 billion in aggregate value.
A 22-member technical secretariat will support the coordination team, incorporating representatives from Cominière, Congo’s state mining company, and the National Mining Cadastre. This structure suggests negotiations will encompass specific concession allocations and regulatory frameworks rather than general cooperation agreements.
The timing proves critical for both nations. Congo faces mounting pressure from M23 rebels backed by Rwanda, according to United Nations investigators, while armed groups control significant portions of North Kivu province where major mining operations extract materials worth billions annually. Meanwhile, the United States seeks to reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains for critical minerals, with Congo producing approximately 70% of global cobalt and holding substantial lithium reserves.
Congressional appropriations for African security assistance have faced scrutiny amid competing global priorities, making resource-backed arrangements increasingly attractive to U.S. policymakers. Similar frameworks have emerged across Africa, with Ghana securing $2 billion in Chinese financing against bauxite reserves and Zambia restructuring copper-backed debt through international creditor agreements.
