Congo says US minerals deal should be judged by projects, not signed deals

Democratic Republic of Congo called on the United States on Friday ‌to deliver concrete investments under their strategic minerals partnership, saying the success of the agreement should be measured by completed projects rather than signed deals, Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba said. Mukoko Samba made the remarks in a post on X ‌after the second meeting of the joint steering committee overseeing the partnership, held in Paris.

Washington and Kinshasa signed ‌the strategic minerals partnership in 2025, aiming to expand US access to Congo's vast copper, cobalt and other critical mineral resources in exchange for investment in mining, infrastructure and initiatives to support stability in the conflict-hit eastern Congo. While insecurity persists in the east, the partnership has yielded ⁠early outcomes, ​including a US-backed copper ⁠and cobalt miner Virtus Minerals, increased supplies of Congolese copper to the US and Western investor support for the development of the Lobito Corridor ⁠linking central African mines to Angola's Atlantic coast.

Mukoko Samba said the two sides reviewed progress on priority projects including the Lobito ​Corridor, the Grand Inga hydropower project, efforts to channel more Congolese copper and cobalt to the US market, ⁠and reforms to the country's fiscal framework. Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba said Congo had emphasised job creation, skills transfer and compliance with Congolese mining ⁠laws, ​while highlighting opportunities for further US investment.

"Our requirement is to move from signed agreements to real investments," Mukoko Samba said, adding that Congo wanted the partnership to support local mineral processing, electricity access for households and businesses ⁠and peace in the country's east. The US State Department and the US International Development Finance Corporation did not immediately respond ⁠to requests for comment.

Congo, the ⁠world's largest cobalt producer and second-largest copper producer, is key to Washington’s push to reduce dependence on Chinese-dominated mineral supply chains. "The success of the agreement must be measured ‌by completed projects," Mukoko ‌Samba said.