Rebel leader denounces US-DRC minerals deal one year after Goma's fall

The leader of a Congolese rebel coalition that includes the M23 group said a deal between Kinshasa and Washington related to critical minerals in the war-hit region was deeply flawed and unconstitutional, casting doubt on its implementation.



Corneille Nangaa, who leads the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), was referring to a strategic partnership agreement signed in Washington on December 4, under which the U.S. would obtain greater access to the Democratic Republic of Congo's critical minerals in exchange for investment and security cooperation.



In an interview with Reuters in Goma on Monday, Nangaa said the plan suffered from a lack of transparency and legal shortcomings, citing what he called "the opacity surrounding the negotiations" and "procedural flaws, particularly the violation of the Constitution and the law."