• Security

As current president of the United Nations Security Council for July, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is prioritizing a critical issue it views as central to modern conflicts: the governance of natural resources. On Monday, July 13, Kinshasa hosted an Arria-formula meeting in New York to examine the connections between natural resource exploitation and peace. This diplomatic initiative will culminate on July 22 with a high-level debate chaired by President Félix Tshisekedi, focusing on: “Natural resource governance as the foundation for peace, security, and prosperity.”

The Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, has highlighted what it describes as a “normative gap” in the governance of natural resources within peace and security frameworks. Authorities argue that existing mechanisms—such as mineral traceability, corporate due diligence, and conflict financing prevention—remain fragmented and lack cohesion. Kinshasa is advocating for a more integrated international framework that aligns natural resource governance with conflict prevention and international security.

The DRC is pushing for a shift in global perspective: natural resources should no longer be viewed solely through an economic or commercial lens but as a strategic peace and security issue warranting full inclusion on the UN Security Council’s agenda. This approach has gained traction with France, whose permanent representative to the UN reaffirmed Paris’ support for the initiative.

“Natural resources must serve as a lever for sustainable and equitable development, benefiting the populations and countries that host them. They must be shielded from exploitation by predators and from diversion for malicious purposes. Moving forward, France supports the DRC’s goal of strengthening and harmonizing international initiatives aimed at ensuring the responsible use of these resources. We are fully prepared to contribute to the Council’s work that will accompany the high-level debate the DRC will host next week, in the presence of President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi,” declared Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s permanent representative to the UN.

This diplomatic push aligns with the DRC’s broader agenda during its Security Council presidency. The July 8 briefing on conflict-related sexual violence, chaired by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, underscored the human cost of war economies and the urgent need to strengthen prevention, survivor protection, impunity eradication, and reparations mechanisms. These efforts follow the strategic partnership between the DRC and the United States on critical minerals, as well as the Washington Agreement signed with Rwanda, which includes measures for de-escalation, the phased withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory, and the neutralization of armed groups operating in eastern DRC, particularly the FDLR—considered a security threat by Kigali. Despite these diplomatic strides, the security situation remains precarious.

The AFC/M23 rebellion, which the DRC, the UN, and international partners accuse Rwanda of supporting, continues to control Goma, Bukavu, and other towns in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Clashes persist, and diplomatic efforts—including the Doha process mediated by Qatar—have yet to yield lasting results. This disparity between diplomatic announcements and ground realities has reignited debates about the persistent disconnect between policy and practice.