China has called on the international community to address the deep-seated causes of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), stressing that the illegal exploitation of natural resources remains a major driver of instability in the Great Lakes region.
Speaking before the United Nations Security Council, Chinese Ambassador and Permanent Representative Fu Cong noted that “the conflict in eastern DRC continues and the Ebola outbreak has resurfaced, further worsening the security and humanitarian situation in the DRC.” He urged the international community to work together to reverse the current trend as quickly as possible.
The Chinese diplomat then emphasized the need to tackle the economic roots of the conflict.
“The root causes of the conflict must be addressed thoroughly and swiftly. The abundant natural resources of the DRC should have been the foundation for national development, but they are being plundered by armed groups and trafficked, fueling the conflict,” said the Chinese representative to the UN on Friday, June 26.
Beijing believes that better governance of the mining sector is a key lever for restoring peace. To this end, Fu Cong stated that “China supports the efforts of countries in the region to establish transparent and inclusive mining cooperation in order to break the cycle of illicit trade.”
The Chinese representative also called on the Security Council to increase its support for regional initiatives. He said, “The Council should support regional organizations and mechanisms to enhance transparency and traceability in the exports of these resources.”
The ambassador urged external actors to adopt a more cooperative approach.
“Major powers outside the region should refrain from treating natural resources as a bargaining chip in the resolution of regional problems. We must promote open cooperation, without a zero-sum mindset, so that people can benefit from the development and exploitation of natural resources,” he stressed.
The war and instability that have plagued eastern DRC for over three decades are also closely linked to economic predation. The control of strategic mining sites, including Rubaya, by armed groups such as the AFC/M23 fuels an illicit trade in minerals to neighboring countries. According to Congolese authorities, this situation deprives the state of substantial tax revenues and severely hampers the economic development of the eastern provinces. The Congolese government has long maintained that the conflict is essentially an “economic war” waged by Rwanda through what it calls “auxiliaries”—an accusation that Kigali consistently denies.
To help resolve the crisis, the United States facilitated the signing of the Washington Accord between the DRC and Rwanda. That agreement aims to address both security concerns and the economic issues related to natural resource exploitation. However, its implementation has yet to deliver the expected results. Kinshasa and Kigali accuse each other of failing to honor their commitments, with each side interpreting certain clauses in its own way.
The same situation is seen in the Doha process, led by the State of Qatar, which seeks to foster direct dialogue between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23. Despite several rounds of discussions, concrete progress remains limited, and the security situation on the ground is largely unchanged.
