Building Critical Minerals Cooperation between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Publisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies
Author(s): Gracelin Baskaran
Date: 2025
Topics: Basic Services, Cooperation, Extractive Resources, Governance
Countries: China, Congo (DRC), United States
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is one of the world’s most resource-rich countries, and in 2024, it attracted the largest volume of mineral exploration investment in Africa. Enhancing U.S.-DRC cooperation is critical to counterbalance China’s dominance. The United States has historically underinvested in commercial diplomacy in the DRC, while China has established control over key mines through state-backed financing and infrastructure-for-resources deals. This brief answers two questions: First, how can the U.S. government utilize its resources to maximize impact in this sector? And second, what reforms can the DRC government implement to attract investment? Building the bilateral minerals partnership will require a suite of bilateral diplomatic, financial, and legislative reforms.