DRC Signs Mineral Exploration Deal with U.S. Firm KoBold Metals

The DRC has signed a mining deal with U.S.-based KoBold Metals to explore critical minerals using AI and digital tools. The company will also invest in local jobs and infrastructure. The agreement follows a U.S.-brokered peace deal with Rwanda, sparking debate over American interests in the region.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has signed a mining exploration agreement with US-based KoBold Metals, marking a significant step toward enhancing American investment in the DRC's critical minerals sector. The agreement in principle was signed on Thursday in Kinshasa, with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi present at the ceremony.

This development follows just weeks after Washington helped broker a peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda. Under this agreement, the United States gains access to benefit from mineral resources in the region, sparking speculation about the underlying motives behind the Trump administration’s involvement in the peace negotiations.

The agreement was co-signed by Benjamin Katabuka, Managing Director of KoBold Metals in the DRC, and Kizito Pakabomba, the DRC’s Minister of Mines, according to the Congolese Press Agency. Katabuka expressed optimism about the future of American investment in the country, stating, "We hope that this door opened by the Congolese government for American investments will lead us to other U.S. investments in the DRC."

KoBold Metals has committed to investing in the digitalisation of the DRC's vast geological data to enhance data accessibility and attract more investors to the mining industry. According to Katabuka, the company intends to use advanced technologies, especially artificial intelligence, in the exploitation and development of the lithium project in Manono, located in Tanganyika province.

In addition to technological advancements, KoBold Metals has pledged to engage significantly with local communities. This includes hiring and training Congolese citizens and contributing to infrastructure development aimed at improving local living standards.

The signing ceremony was attended by Lucy Tamlyn, the United States Ambassador to the DRC, underscoring the diplomatic and economic importance of the agreement. The DRC is known for its abundant reserves of cobalt, lithium, and uranium—minerals crucial to the global energy and technology sectors.

Despite its resource wealth, the country continues to grapple with the devastating effects of prolonged armed conflict, which has resulted in millions of deaths and remains one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.