Pascal Agboyibor, a Franco-Togolese business lawyer, has been appointed as one of the 22 members of the strategic coordination unit overseeing the mining partnership negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the United States. His appointment was formalized in decision no. 25/020 on May 12, 2025, establishing this unit to monitor negotiations and implement the critical minerals agreement.

The unit comprises three entities: management, a technical secretariat, and a group of experts. Agboyibor is the sole lawyer on the management team, which includes key state officials such as Anthony Nkinzo Kamole, Chief of Staff to the President; Foreign Affairs Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner; Mines Minister Kizito Pakabomba; and the chairmen of Gécamines and Arecoms, Guy-Robert Lukama and Patrick Mpoyi Luabeya, respectively.

Founder of Asafo & Co, Agboyibor is recognized as one of Africa’s most influential lawyers in mining, energy, and infrastructure. He frequently advises on sovereign financing, public-private partnerships, and transactions involving multilateral institutions. He has been active in the DRC for several years, notably advising the government during the renegotiation of the partnership between Gécamines and Chinese group CMOC over the Tenke Fungurume mine, which resulted in an $800 million settlement favoring the Congolese state-owned company.

In 2024, Agboyibor was named the most influential lawyer in the French-speaking world for the fourth time by Africa Business+, a recognition based on the complexity and sensitivity of his cases. The magazine highlights his role in supporting and defending the Congolese state and Gécamines against foreign operators.

Led by Anthony Nkinzo Kamole, the unit coordinates preparatory work, harmonizes positions among Congolese institutions, and ensures compliance with commitments under the bilateral agreement. The partnership aims to secure US access to strategic Congolese minerals—cobalt, lithium, and coltan—in exchange for increased political support to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC. According to the Financial Times, the agreement could be signed by the end of June 2025.

Boaz Kabeya (intern)