The DRC sits at the centre of global critical-mineral supply, and at the centre of its consequences. As demand for cobalt, copper, gold, and 3T rises, weak governance and insecurity allow minerals to be converted into rents, coercion, and cross-border laundering. The result is a paradox: minerals labelled “critical” for global resilience can intensify local conflict and human harm when institutions cannot control the interfaces where minerals become money.
International due-diligence and certification frameworks have created an important compliance architecture, but enforcement remains fragile in fragmented ASM supply chains where blending and documentation fraud can “reset” provenance. Meanwhile, the human costs are compounded by insecurity and chronic humanitarian funding gaps. A credible response must align protection, targeted enforcement, and incentives for legitimate trade, so supply security does not come at the expense of civilian security.
