The Guardian view on Donald Trump’s Congo deal: mineral riches for protection | Editorial
“R.He was defending the looting that distorted the history of the human conscience “How Joseph Conrad The concessions were described in the colonial era granted to the private companies for the natural resources of the Congo Dark heart. During the reign of Donald Trump, this stampede may return. If the news reports are correct, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) provides the United States sincere Deal: Minerals for Military Assistance – Slicer of Sovereignty has been circulated for stability shot.
Anxiety is that this is not a return, it is a complement. For three decades, Washington supported Joseph Desiri MobutuCold War ally and the brutal dictator who looted the Congo until the fall of 1997. The history of power policy is still giving long shadows. Trump administration publicly prefers muscles over diplomacy. Fadel Kabob, Associate Professor of Economics at Denison University, Notes The talk about Biden’s era was suspended on the partnership for clean energy, with the United States driven less green targets than copper, cobalt for missiles and fine chips.
Logic is dark but clear. Since 1996, the Congo wars in armies and foreign agents have attracted more than 5.5 million dead. The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces a deteriorating security crisis by armed groups such as M23Supported by Rwanda and other regional powers. Western governments Lament Violence, but the focus on securing access to their biomers Industries. Kinshasa, seeing calls to multiple -party justice Achieving a little, turned into deals. If dependency is inevitable, it may also be used.
The leadership of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not naive. They know that Mr. Trump believes that Africa is not a partner but as a warehouse of strategic materials, and Ukraine As evidence that it will turn weakness into an American gain. They know that China will not send troops-quoting non-interference-even when its companies dominate Congolese mining. with Russia And the Gulf states that provide assistance, Kinshasa pushes the US bases to protect “strategic resources” – such as Cobalt, 70 % It comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and it is necessary Smartphones NATO Defense Industry. The Congo may want a shoe. Washington prefers business.
Proposal deal With the United States, it looks desperate and strategic: security support in exchange for mining rights. Do not call her to protect her. After Africa, Mr. Trump envoy He pointed out that a upcoming deal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo restored three Americans linked to a failed coup, and the tin mine, which is Control By the United States for investors, they started reopening it when the M23 rebels withdrew – a fragile victory in a volatile scene. Kinshasa hopes either the Washington mediator is peace that compels the rebels to retreat or earn a firepower to crush them directly.
It may also open International Monetary Fund financing And expanding access to Western capital markets. But at any cost? The most likely result is that the Democratic Republic of the Congo will only receive enough to stay accredited. The minerals sector will be dominated Foreign companiesFinancial autonomy is eroded by police loans and its economy Closed From dependency – the source of cheap inputs, consumer of expensive outputs.
Calling this colonialism is not completely correct. Empires governed by a decree, without any pretext for approval. Today’s coercion is More accurateA sovereign state, in a weak moment, moved to accept the terms of colonial style without soldiers or flags. Different tools – Security dealsCommercial exemptions, private investment. But logic is familiar. The irony is that this is voluntarily followed by the government with a few alternatives. What will history say about that?
