Washington, D.C. — The Democratic Republic of Congo, the world’s dominant producer of cobalt and a major copper supplier, used a U.S.-hosted critical minerals summit to position itself as a central partner in the global energy transition and to attract new industrial investments.
Representing President Félix Tshisekedi’s government at the First Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals in Washington, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba told delegates from more than 50 countries that the DRC produces over 70% of the world’s cobalt and about 10% of global copper output, underlining its strategic importance to battery, electric vehicle, and clean energy supply chains.
“With mining exports exceeding $25 billion in 2024, the DRC is at the heart of the global energy transition,” Kabamba said, according to remarks posted after the meeting.
“Our unexplored geological reserves represent more than 90% of our potential and are estimated at more than $25 trillion.”
The Washington meeting, convened by the United States government, is part of a broader push by Western economies to secure diversified and transparent supply chains for minerals critical to energy transition technologies, including cobalt, lithium, nickel, and rare earths.
Congo’s vast mineral wealth has made it indispensable to the electric vehicle and renewable energy industries, but it has also exposed the country to volatility in global commodity markets, governance challenges, and regional security tensions in the eastern provinces where some resources are located.
Kabamba said Kinshasa is seeking to shift away from a purely extractive model toward integrated industrial and technological value chains, with a focus on local processing, job creation, and infrastructure development.
Among the flagship initiatives cited was the MIFOR project, aimed at developing iron ore resources in the country’s eastern region alongside new energy and transport infrastructure. The government is also advancing national exploration programs to map untapped reserves.
The minister also welcomed recent announcements around the “Vault” project, described as a strategic U.S.-linked reserve of critical minerals valued at about $12 billion, involving a company established in the DRC and presented alongside U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
The initiative, he said, illustrates the country’s growing role in global mineral diplomacy and could encourage domestic firms to build internationally competitive industries.
Kinshasa has increasingly framed responsible mining investment as a pathway to stability, particularly in conflict-affected regions where illicit mineral trade has historically fueled armed groups.
“Responsible investments are a lever for stability, peace, and shared prosperity,” Kabamba said. “They contribute to transforming conflict economies into cooperation economies.”
With global demand for battery metals expected to surge over the next decade, the DRC is positioning itself as a long-term partner for investors seeking secure, large-scale, and responsibly sourced supplies.
“The DRC is open to capital, technologies, and international expertise,” the minister said. “The DRC is open for business.”
Representing President Félix Tshisekedi’s government at the First Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals in Washington, Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba told delegates from more than 50 countries that the DRC produces over 70% of the world’s cobalt and about 10% of global copper output, underlining its strategic importance to battery, electric vehicle, and clean energy supply chains.
“With mining exports exceeding $25 billion in 2024, the DRC is at the heart of the global energy transition,” Kabamba said, according to remarks posted after the meeting.
“Our unexplored geological reserves represent more than 90% of our potential and are estimated at more than $25 trillion.”
The Washington meeting, convened by the United States government, is part of a broader push by Western economies to secure diversified and transparent supply chains for minerals critical to energy transition technologies, including cobalt, lithium, nickel, and rare earths.
Congo’s vast mineral wealth has made it indispensable to the electric vehicle and renewable energy industries, but it has also exposed the country to volatility in global commodity markets, governance challenges, and regional security tensions in the eastern provinces where some resources are located.
Kabamba said Kinshasa is seeking to shift away from a purely extractive model toward integrated industrial and technological value chains, with a focus on local processing, job creation, and infrastructure development.
Among the flagship initiatives cited was the MIFOR project, aimed at developing iron ore resources in the country’s eastern region alongside new energy and transport infrastructure. The government is also advancing national exploration programs to map untapped reserves.
The minister also welcomed recent announcements around the “Vault” project, described as a strategic U.S.-linked reserve of critical minerals valued at about $12 billion, involving a company established in the DRC and presented alongside U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
The initiative, he said, illustrates the country’s growing role in global mineral diplomacy and could encourage domestic firms to build internationally competitive industries.
Kinshasa has increasingly framed responsible mining investment as a pathway to stability, particularly in conflict-affected regions where illicit mineral trade has historically fueled armed groups.
“Responsible investments are a lever for stability, peace, and shared prosperity,” Kabamba said. “They contribute to transforming conflict economies into cooperation economies.”
With global demand for battery metals expected to surge over the next decade, the DRC is positioning itself as a long-term partner for investors seeking secure, large-scale, and responsibly sourced supplies.
“The DRC is open to capital, technologies, and international expertise,” the minister said. “The DRC is open for business.”