The Democratic Republic of Congo is a one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world, holding ~$24tn-worth of untapped resources - including cobalt, gold, and other rare earth metals. Since the end of the Second Congo War, the Kivu province, the most mineral-rich part of the Congo has been engulfed in conflict with multiple rebel factions, reaching a relative zenith in January, when the Rwandan-backed Tutsi group M23 captured Goma, the largest city in North Kivu.
Following Trump’s interest in a mineral deal with Ukraine, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi has been cozying up to the United States, pushing for a mineral deal.
This deal is often thought to look like favourable deals to US mining companies in exchange for military support or cooperation in the region.