The economic framework tied to the peace agreement opens access to DRC’s major reserves of copper, cobalt, lithium and gold. These minerals are essential for electric vehicles and clean energy technologies, placing the region at the centre of global competition for critical supplies. The US International Development Finance Corporation has expressed interest in taking an equity stake in a new joint venture between DRC’s state mining company Gecamines and Swiss commodities group Mercuria. The partnership will market copper and cobalt and may later expand to minerals such as germanium and gallium, which are used in semiconductors and solar technologies.
Gecamines chairman Guy Robert Lukama described the collaboration as a pivotal step in strengthening the company’s role in global metals markets. Under the proposed arrangement, US manufacturers would receive a right of first refusal on copper and cobalt sourced through the venture.
The US development lender said its planned investment aims to support the commercialisation of critical minerals while offering US and allied buyers responsibly sourced supplies. The partnership also seeks to improve transparency and competitiveness in DRC’s mining sector, which recently introduced new export conditions and traceability measures for artisanal cobalt.
Mercuria will contribute logistics support, financing and trading expertise, along with training in risk management and operational systems. The joint venture also plans to invest in export infrastructure to reduce transport bottlenecks in the world’s top cobalt producing country.
In a separate signal of support, the US development lender indicated interest in helping finance the rehabilitation of the Dilolo to Sakania railway line in DRC, a project that could seek up to one billion dollars. The line would connect to Angola’s Lobito Atlantic Railway, forming a strategic corridor for moving minerals and goods across Central and Southern Africa.