With diplomatic tension between Pretoria and Kigali escalating over the death of SA soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a UN expert report lays bare how Rwanda is benefiting economically from the illicit trade of minerals flowing from March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, who control key mining towns.
About 13 SA soldiers died in battle this week after a large-scale offensive of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels on a town of Goma — which they seized — sparking a public fallout between SA and Rwanda.
SA has more than 1,100 troops deployed with the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (Monusco) and more than 800 with the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SamiDRC) deployment.
The UN midterm report, prepared by a group of experts and addressed to the president of the security council a month ago, reveals the extent of Rwanda’s influence in the conflict — ranging from providing training to intelligence — with the end goal being economic benefit from the mineral-rich DRC.
M23 forces in April 2024 seized control of the town of Rubaya, including its mineral production, trade, transport and trade. The UN report says that coltan, tin (cassiterite) and manganese have continued to be extracted and shipped to Rwanda since the occupation.
Rubaya is the DRC’s main coltan producer — a key ingredient in making mobile phones and other devices. About 60% of the world’s coltan reserves are in the belly of the DRC.
“Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)/M23-controlled trading centres in Rubaya and Mushaki, as well as mineral transport routes from Rubaya to Rwanda, where Rubaya minerals were mixed with Rwandan production. This constitutes the most significant contamination of supply chains with ineligible ‘3T’ minerals — tin, tantalum and tungsten — recorded in the Great Lakes region over the past decade,” the report says.
“AFC/M23 ensured a monopoly for the export of coltan from Rubaya to Rwanda, prioritised high-volume trade and levied significant taxes. Fraudulent extraction, trade and export to Rwanda of Rubaya minerals thus benefited both AFC/M23 and the Rwandan economy.
“M23 combatants patrolled Rubaya town and the mining sites to ensure that traders and diggers sold minerals only to AFC/M23-authorised Congolese and Rwandan traders. Violations of AFC/M23-imposed rules were punished with arrest and detention in Mushaki. AFC/M23 controlled the entire route from the mining area to the Rwandan border.”
The experts relied on satellite imagery and witness testimony on the ground. One of the aerial photographs, contained as an annexure to the report, shows minerals loaded into heavy-duty trucks that entered Rwanda from the DRC.
Other images show AFC/ M23-enforced forced labour, requiring Rubaya locals to widen the roads to accommodate truck transit to allow for heavy truck traffic to Rwanda.
“In Rubaya, witnesses to AFC/M23 mineral convoys reported minerals were loaded twice weekly into convoys of four to five vehicles capable of transporting up to 5-tonnes per load. From mid-May to late October, the frequency and volumes of minerals leaving Rubaya were constant,” the UN report says.
“AFC/M23 levied taxes and in-kind payments on the sale and transport of minerals.
“The tax on a kilogram of coltan and manganese was $7, while the tax on tin (cassiterite) was $4 per kilogram. AFC/M23 thus collected at least $800,000 monthly from the taxation of coltan.”
The M23, according to the report, was also generating about $140m a year from illicit gold trade, mainly from theIturi region.
The report says the UN- and US-sanctioned M23, and Rwanda’s forces used surface-to-air missile systems, GPS-guided mortars and anti-tank missiles in their offensive in the DRC.
The report recommends that the government of Rwanda ease GPS signal disruptions to prevent adverse effects on civilian, humanitarian and UN aviation operations in the DRC.
It calls on the Rwandan and DRC governments to investigate and prosecute individuals and networks involved in smuggling minerals from Rubaya to Rwanda.
The report notes the M23 expanded the recruitment and training of civilian-administrative cadres, as well as combatants to administer controlled localities and strengthen military capacity for territorial expansion. “For example, between 25 September and 31 October 2024, at least 3,000 recruits completed training. A further 2,500 — including 600 from Ituri’s Zaire armed group — were still in training at the time of writing,” the report says.
“Trained recruits were deployed strategically to areas not yet controlled by AFC/M23 to gather intelligence and indoctrinate locals. The recruitment of other armed group members was key to the strategy of AFC/M23 for successful territorial expansion,” it says.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.