On conflict, critical minerals and the need for renewed global leadership
13 February 2025 – Sibusiso Nkomo, Africa programme manager at CISL, explains how the regional crisis around critical minerals sourcing in the DRC reflects deeper global problems as demand for these materials increases. First published by edie.
From ‘blood diamonds’ to ‘conflict minerals,’ Africa does not seem to be able to escape its resource curse. The latest flashpoint is unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the M23 rebel group – allegedly backed by Rwanda – has escalated conflict over critical minerals essential to the global economy.
The consequences extend far beyond Central and Eastern Africa. This is a geopolitical battle over resources that are indispensable for the transition to a green economy, and the stakes are global.
The world is locked in an intense race for strategic resources. US President Donald Trump has made plain his own determination to join – and escalate – this race, but he is far from alone. Nations are scrambling to safeguard supply chains for critical minerals like copper, cobalt, tantalum, and lithium, driving competition that is already destabilising regions and testing international institutions. The institutions designed to manage global peace and cooperation are fraying, and the world is ill-prepared for what comes next.
As South African President Cyril Ramaphosa put it in his State of the Nation Address:
“It is a world of both interdependence and competition, of cooperation and conflict… We are seeing intensifying competition over trade, technology, and influence in global institutions. There are fundamental shifts underway that affect every aspect of human life.”
Escalating tensions
The DRC is home to some of the world’s most valuable mineral deposits. Yet, a weak state, regional political manoeuvring, and ineffective multilateral governance have turned it into a powder keg. On January 27, the M23 rebels, reportedly with Rwandan military support, advanced into Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The fallout has been catastrophic: more than 700,000 people displaced, approximately 3,000 killed—including 14 South African peacekeepers under the United Nations’ MONUSCO and SADC missions.
Tensions have escalated beyond the battlefield. South Africa has directly accused Rwanda of killing its soldiers, with President Ramaphosa warning that such actions amount to a declaration of war. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has responded defiantly, dismissing South Africa’s peacekeeping role and signaling readiness for conflict. In South Africa, public opinion is split – some question why their troops are involved at all, while others advocate for a stronger stance against Kigali.
For years, the international community has turned a blind eye to Kagame’s authoritarian grip and military interventions, in part due to lingering guilt over the Rwandan genocide. It remains heavily dependent on international aid – receiving $180m from the USA in 2023, $221m from the World Bank, and a promised $900m from the EU’s Global Gateway initiative. But Rwanda’s economic and military ambitions are clear.
Global impacts
Now, the conflict is spilling into the global business arena. The DRC has filed lawsuits against Apple in Belgium and France for allegedly using conflict minerals in its supply chain, a move Rwanda dismisses as political theatre. Meanwhile, China has issued an unprecedented call for Rwanda to cease supporting M23, signalling broader geopolitical interests in Africa’s resource battleground.
This is more than a regional crisis – it reflects a deeper global problem. The institutions that once upheld international stability, trade, and peacekeeping are failing. The Trump administration’s decision to suspend USAID is accelerating their demise. Economic nationalism, protectionism and great-power competition are eroding multilateral cooperation at the very moment it is most needed.
And artificial intelligence (AI) and technological disruption are accelerating change, while climate-driven resource scarcity is fuelling new geopolitical fault lines.
The crisis in the DRC is a warning sign of what happens when governance fails and resource competition turns violent. Without new leadership and fresh approaches, conflicts like this will proliferate, derailing not just peace efforts but the broader economic transition toward sustainability.
A way forward
The ideas and approaches of the past 60 years won’t work anymore and those who have championed and defended them will need to disrupt themselves to be relevant and effective in today’s reality. A new model of leadership is required—one that goes beyond state actors, with a reliance of public funding, to include businesses and cross-sector alliances that can leverage both public and private sector capabilities.
A shift is needed. Business leaders, investors and policymakers must step up—not just in risk management but in shaping the rules and alliances that will define the next era of global trade, peace, and economic development.
The upcoming African edition of the business and sustainability programme in Kenya represents a crucial step in forging these new alliances. The work of these leaders will be vital in designing and implementing strategies that lower the cost of capital, reform risk assessments, and build more resilient, nature-positive economies.
The link between peace and sustainability has never been clearer. If Africa—and the world—are to achieve a just and sustainable economic future, geopolitical competition cannot be allowed to escalate into unchecked conflict. The time for bold, cross-sector leadership is now.
First published by edie.