the conflict with Rwanda and Chinese investors

The conflict in North Kivu in the DRC, on the border with Rwanda, is the source of all the tensions between the two countries. While investors, like China, seek to impose themselves to covet the Congolese basements.

The United Nations Security Council meets this Wednesday, March 27 in New York, regarding the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It is an almost unprecedented humanitarian crisis, hundreds of thousands of Congolese are on the roads. For more than two years now, Rwanda has been accused by the DRC, as well as by numerous United Nations reports, of supporting an armed group called the M23 which has its origins in former rebellions with a Tutsi majority. Today, rebels occupy a large part of the province of North Kivu, which is located on the border with Rwanda and Uganda.

The DRC is also a highly coveted land, particularly for its cobalt and copper resources. One of the countries with the largest presence in the DRC is China. It is even a historic partner. The Chinese are behind many infrastructure projects, but in a relationship that is not necessarily balanced. China is accused of benefiting a little too much from the wealth of the DRC. The Congolese authorities have therefore undertaken to review this partnership. China will have to reduce its profits.

DRC-Rwanda: the endless duel between Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame

Tensions between the Republic of Congo and Rwanda have transformed into an endless verbal and diplomatic battle. Lhe Congolese head of state, Félix Tshisekedi, denounces “Rwandan aggression” and refuses to enter into a dialogue with the M23, preferring to directly attack Paul Kagame, Rwandan president, as was the case on Monday March 25. “One day all this will end one way or another and we will return, I believe, to the happiness of living together as neighbors. But for the moment, there is a disruptor, an obstacle to going in circles. But it is not eternal. One day his day will come and he will stop playing with people’s lives.”. Measured words, compared to those made during the recent presidential campaign after which Félix Tshisekedi was re-elected. He then compared Paul Kagame to Adolf Hitler.

Rwanda refuses to say it is in charge

In a recent interview given to the French monthly Young AfricaPaul Kagame simply said that he had no interest in deploying his troops in eastern DRC and that the Congolese president is “capable of everything except measuring the consequences of what he says”. We are therefore today in a verbal joust, punctuated by incidents such as the death of Congolese soldiers on the Rwandan border, or even shots from Rwandan anti-aircraft defenses on a fighter plane and a Congolese drone. Incidents which did not, however, cause the pressure cooker to explode.

Diplomatic negotiations under the auspices of Angola are currently underway. However, to begin this dialogue, Kinshasa requires as a condition the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from its territory, as well as the cantonment of M23 elements. But the Rwandan capital, Kigali, refusing to say that it is in controlwork, it’s the status quo prevaluates.

China: 10 billion in profits against less than a billion in infrastructure projects

China remains welcome in the DRC, but to benefit from Congolese resources, the Chinese will now have to put more money into their wallets. This principle was translated a few days ago in Kinshasa by a very important signature for the DRC, with the revision of what in Congo is called the contract of the century concluded in 2008 between President Kabila at the time and a Chinese consortium. A contract in the form of barter which allows Chinese companies to exploit the significant mining resources of the Congo, cobalt and copper in particular. In exchange, China must build new infrastructure for the Congolese population, mainly roads.

But this relationship quickly appeared unbalanced. Last year, the Congolese general inspectorate of finances put forward particularly eloquent figures. There would be 10 billion dollars in profits for the Chinese thanks to this contract of the century, while in return, the DRC had only received less than a billion dollars in the form of an infrastructure project. This is what pushed President Tshisekedi to come out in favor of revising this agreement, which is now effective. A partnership that aims to be more equitable. The investments imposed on the Chinese consortium increase from three to seven billion dollars, which should make it possible to build between 5,000 and 7,000 kilometers of roads in Congo.

Turkey, the new competitor

The Chinese present since the time of Marshal Mobutu in the former Zaire are at the origin of numerous buildings in Kinshasa, the Parliament, the martyrs’ stadium, numerous avenues. But the new builders, who are on the rise at the moment, are the Turks, who are making life difficult for Chinese companies. China is losing markets and Turkey continues to assert itself, like the imposing new financial center of Kinshasa, built by the Turkish company Milvest. The building houses the Ministry of Finance, a conference center, five 20-story administrative towers and soon a 5-star hotel. The Congolese were impressed by the work of the Turkish workers who built the site in record time. And this is not the only market that Turkey has won. There is also a basketball stadium, the renovation of the Kinshasa airport which was originally supposed to be awarded to the Chinese, and the construction of a cable car. If China is not ready to disappear in the DRC, it now has a very serious competitor.