• U.S. firms push for DRC-Rwanda critical minerals agreement to foster economic growth and stability.

• Roundtable discussions focused on investments and security, part of a regional integration framework.

• The initiative aims to counter Chinese influence and increase U.S. private sector engagement in the region.

American business leaders are pressing for closer cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda on critical minerals, seeking to turn the region’s vast resources into engines of growth rather than sources of conflict.

Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE), a U.S. nonprofit that includes Fortune 500 executives on its board, hosted a roundtable in Washington on Aug. 28 with delegations from both countries. Talks focused on investment opportunities in critical minerals and regional security, SAFE said.

The meeting builds on a peace deal signed in June between Kinshasa and Kigali, which paved the way for a Regional Economic Integration Framework aimed at boosting trade and investment in supply chains for cobalt, lithium, and other minerals. A preliminary agreement was signed on Aug. 1, with a full deal expected by Sept. 27.

SAFE, which works closely with the U.S. State Department, said the framework could increase American private-sector investment while reducing reliance on conflict minerals and limiting China’s dominance in the sector.

At the same time, Kinshasa and Washington are negotiating a bilateral pact on strategic minerals. Several U.S. companies are already active in the DRC, including KoBold Metals in exploration and Starlink in satellite internet. Other Fortune 500 firms are also weighing entry into Congo’s resource sector.

This article was initially published in French by Boaz Kabeya

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum