Donald Trump has announced a rare earth minerals deal with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, framing it as both a peace effort and an economic win for the United States. The agreement, signed at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, aims to end a decades-long conflict while granting US companies access to the region’s critical mineral reserves essential for modern technology. At the signing ceremony, Trump expressed optimism, but the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC struck a more cautious tone. Their skepticism is well-founded, as fresh clashes between Congolese forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels erupted even on the day of the signing. This deal underscores a transactional approach to foreign policy, where conflict resolution is directly linked to securing valuable resources for American interests, despite ongoing instability on the ground.
The Telegraph
