The Democratic Republic of Congo has sent Washington a shortlist of state-owned assets for U.S. investors, officials said. The list includes manganese, copper-cobalt, gold, and lithium projects, marking the most tangible step in translating peace deals into strategic influence.
Since President Donald Trump brokered a pact easing tensions between Congo and Rwanda, U.S. agencies have accelerated efforts to secure critical minerals. The U.S. Development Finance Corporation signed a minerals marketing partnership with state miner Gecamines and backed a $553 million corridor upgrade.
Officials did not disclose the overall value of the assets but confirmed several rounds of internal vetting were completed in Kinshasa. The shortlisted assets are offered to investors as part of a joint committee between Congo and U.S. representatives overseeing the minerals pact.
Congo’s offer includes Kisenge’s manganese, gold and cassiterite licences, Gecamines’ Mutoshi copper-cobalt project, and a germanium-processing venture. Sokimo’s four gold permits, Cominiere’s lithium licences, and Sakima’s coltan, gold, and wolframite assets are also part of the list, officials said.
All steps are reportedly in compliance with Congolese laws, with the government seeking transparent negotiations for American investors. The joint steering committee will hold its first meeting to begin implementing the partnership and negotiating contracts, sources said.
High-level Congolese officials named in the committee include Deputy Prime Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba, and the ministers of foreign affairs, mines, and finance. The head of Congo’s minerals regulator, ARECOMS, is also part of the team overseeing investor engagement under the pact.
U.S. efforts to secure critical minerals globally have intensified amid rising reliance on China, the world’s dominant refiner of copper, lithium, cobalt, and rare earths. Chinese companies active in Congo, including CMOC, Zijin, and Huayou, dominate cobalt and copper exports, raising stakes for U.S. involvement in the region.
Congo has offered only assets not already committed under farm-outs or joint ventures, signaling a direct opportunity for foreign investors. The Congolese government and the U.S. State Department had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters, and state-owned companies did not respond. This initiative reflects Washington’s strategic push to diversify critical mineral sources and strengthen economic ties with Congo’s resource-rich regions.