DR Congo and US to speed up strategic partnership
The two nations aim to boost investment in critical minerals, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
The United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) plan to accelerate their strategic partnership, focusing on critical minerals, infrastructure, and energy. This commitment was stated at the second meeting of their Joint Steering Committee (JPC) on November 5 in Paris, France.
This meeting followed a strategic partnership agreement signed on December 4, 2025, and the first JPC meeting on February 5, 2026. Both governments aim to turn commitments into concrete actions with clear responsibilities, timelines, and measurable results. The JPC will provide strategic guidance, improve coordination, and track progress.
Discussions highlighted the development of "secure, transparent, resilient, and diversified" supply chains for critical minerals. The partnership also aims to go beyond raw material extraction, promoting local processing, refining, advanced manufacturing, and technology transfer to create skilled jobs and develop Congolese workers' skills. Encouraging US investment in value-added projects while upholding transparency, good governance, environmental protection, and social responsibility standards is also a priority.
Why it mattersThe Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States are working to increase investments in critical minerals, infrastructure, and energy, aiming to create jobs and develop local skills.