A dramatic turn of events on the shores of Lake Geneva. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the AFC/M23 rebellion have initialed a historic memorandum in Switzerland, creating a joint ceasefire verification mechanism. Meanwhile, Kinshasa is playing a different, strategic game by building up reserves of three high-tech minerals. Analysis.
This is news that RFI broadcast like a shockwave. Following discreet negotiations in Switzerland, delegations from Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 rebels signed a document that could be a game-changer in the war-torn east of the country. The mechanism provides for three observers per side, supported by MONUSCO, to monitor any violation of the ceasefire, including drone strikes.
The meeting was convened at the initiative of Qatar, the tireless mediator, with the United States acting as a mere facilitator. This memorandum follows on from the Doha agreements, finalized in the fall of 2025, which nevertheless failed to silence the guns. In short: the diplomatic machinery is running, but on the ground, the East remains a powder keg.
Meanwhile, Washington is actively working. Americans and Qatari mediators are trying to mend fences between the DRC and Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of fueling the M23 Tutsi rebellion. Since 2021, this group has seized control of more than one hundred towns, including two provincial capitals. This deep-rooted conflict has already displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
Kinshasa counterattacks in the mineral sector
While the fighting continues, the Congolese government has played a trump card in the economy. According to the Financial Times, Kinshasa is launching the creation of strategic reserves of germanium, cobalt, and coltan. The objective: to influence global prices. Patrick Luabeya, head of Arecoms, doesn't mince words: "We will be happy if prices rise."
The maneuver is clear: to avoid oversupply, stabilize the market, and above all, no longer be at the mercy of foreign buyers. With half of the world's cobalt reserves—the black gold used in electric vehicle batteries—the DRC now intends to play a major role. No speculation, Luabeya vows, but proactive regulation.
The timing is striking. While the international community scrutinizes the ceasefire and the abuses, Kinshasa is strengthening its mining sovereignty. The rebels, for their part, still control certain mining areas. In this complex situation, peace and mineral resources are now inextricably linked.
Meanwhile, observers are holding their breath. Will the Swiss agreement hold? Will the cobalt reserves cause prices to skyrocket? One thing is certain: the DRC is not giving up, neither on the military front nor on the raw materials front.
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