Africa-Press. The leader of the rebel coalition in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Corneille Nangaa, condemned the minerals agreement signed between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United States, describing it as “flawed and unconstitutional.”
Nangaa’s statement comes one year after the M23 movement took control of the city of Goma, the largest city in the country’s east.
The agreement, signed in Washington in December, grants the United States broader access to critical minerals in exchange for investments and security cooperation.
Nangaa said the deal lacks transparency and is marred by “legal and procedural flaws,” pointing to violations of the constitution and the law.
He added that the mining areas being offered could be disputed, as most of them are located in regions controlled by the M23 movement.
For its part, the Congolese presidency rejected Nangaa’s accusations, asserting that the agreement is “constitutional” and will respect existing contracts. It said the government will submit the partnership to parliament for ratification in March.
The deal raises questions about the viability of U.S. investments in eastern Congo, a region experiencing armed conflict and human rights abuses, according to the United Nations.
