The United States under President Donald Trump is committed to imposing consequences on those who destabilize the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC. That’s why the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, has sanctioned an armed group in Rwanda involved in illegal mining operations and taxation schemes in Rubaya, an expansive mining area rich in critical minerals used in modern electronics.
Additionally, these sanctions target companies in the DRC and China that are engaged in trading conflict-linked minerals from the DRC on international markets, often through Rwanda.
Eastern DRC has experienced thousands of civilian deaths and a mass displacement crisis due to ongoing instability, which has been exacerbated by the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement, or M23. M23 is a U.S.- and United Nations-designated armed group that has rapidly expanded its territorial control in eastern DRC and is responsible for human rights abuses.
“The conflict minerals trade is exacting a deadly toll on Congolese civilians, fueling corruption, and preventing law-abiding businesses from investing in the DRC,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John Hurley. “The Treasury Department will not hesitate to take action against groups that deny the United States and our allies access to the critical minerals vital for our national defense.”
The United States is focused on securing a resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC, as evidenced by its success in facilitating the DRC-Rwanda peace agreement, signed in late June. The United States continues to support the efforts of the DRC and Rwanda to adopt a regional economic integration framework that expands trade and investment, enhances transparency in critical minerals supply chains, and paves the way for responsible and legal investment in the region.
Through the U.S.-mediated peace process, especially the Regional Economic Integration Framework, the United States supports the DRC and Rwanda in building a more peaceful and prosperous future. To that end, the U.S. will continue to take action to support a mining sector that contributes to lasting stability and economic development in the Great Lakes region and secure, reliable global critical minerals supply chains.
The Trump administration is sending a clear message that no armed group or commercial entity is immune from sanctions if they undermine peace, stability, or security in the DRC.
