US mediation in eastern Congo questioned by rebels amid rare earth minerals talks

Rebels in eastern Congo said the United States has not acted fairly as a peace broker. The criticism came as the Trump administration sought access to the region’s mineral reserves. A letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington failed to press Congo over alleged breaches. The letter was seen by The Associated Press on Saturday.

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Corneille Nangaa wrote the message and signed it for the Congo River Alliance. The alliance includes the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. The letter also objected to US sanctions targeting figures outside Congo’s leadership. It pointed to sanctions on former President Joseph Kabila last week. The sanctions were linked to alleged support for rebels.

US mediation and Congo conflict

Congo and Rwanda agreed last year to a US-mediated peace deal. The accord aimed to end the long conflict in eastern Congo. It also set out terms for economic partnership involving three countries. The deal was expected to unlock agreements on rare earth minerals. US President Donald Trump praised Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame then.

Trump later cited the agreement as a negotiation success on several occasions. However, armed violence in the east continued after the deal. Rebel and government forces accused each other of breaking peace commitments. The letter to Rubio argued that US actions did not restrain Congo’s authorities. It said this raised doubts about Washington’s neutrality.

US mediation and sanctions

"Your administration has neither imposed any sanctions nor issued even a simple warning to the leaders in Kinshasa, whose intransigent and arrogant attitude calls into question the impartiality and neutrality of the American Facilitator/Mediator,\" the letter said.

\"The absence of clearly identifiable corrective measures fuels questions regarding the facilitations ability to preserve, over time, the requirements of impartiality and neutrality that are essential to its credibility,\" it added.

The letter also criticised US penalties against people seen as opposing authorities in Kinshasa. It referenced the measures against Joseph Kabila last week. Earlier this year, Washington sanctioned Rwanda’s military and four senior officials. The US said the individuals supported M23. The rebel group was described as backed by Rwanda.

US mediation and M23 fighting

Congo, the US and UN experts accused Rwanda of supporting M23. The United Nations said M23 expanded from hundreds of members in 2021. UN figures put the force at around 6,500 fighters. Eastern Congo faced decades of unrest and repeated fighting. Government troops battled more than 100 armed groups in the area.

M23 was seen as the strongest of those groups, often linked to mineral access. M23 fighters pushed forward early last year and took key ground. The group seized Goma and other important cities during the advance. The rapid gains helped M23 expand its presence across the region. The fighting added pressure to the peace process.

Kristof Titeca, a professor at the University of Antwerp, commented on the talks. Titeca studies governance and conflict in Central Africa. Titeca told the AP that US mediation reduced regional tension. However, Titeca said it did not halt growing violence on the ground. The letter showed rebels still questioned Washington’s role.

With inputs from PTI