15 to 30% of Global Coltan Production under M23 Control

Kinshasa, March 8, 2026 - At the UN Security Council debate on energy and critical minerals, France highlighted the role of natural resources in fueling conflict and instability. Eastern DRC, largely controlled by the Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 rebellion, produces between 15 and 30% of global coltan, which is exploited to finance armed activities and expand territorial control.

This resource grabbing perpetuates violence, prolongs conflicts, and worsens the suffering of civilian populations. France condemned the predatory exploitation model, noting that such practices hinder economic and social development by depriving states of the resources of their own land. Comparisons were also made to Ukraine, where energy infrastructure attacks are used as a weapon of coercion.

The session occurred amid ongoing Rwandan aggression in eastern DRC, with AFC/M23 forces occupying large parts of North and South Kivu. The Congolese government considers these attacks as economic wars aimed at the plundering and illicit exploitation of minerals, while Kigali rejects these claims, citing FDLR threats and denying military support to M23.

Efforts to resolve tensions include the Washington Process, addressing Kinshasa-Kigali relations, and the Doha Process, focusing on the AFC/M23 crisis. Despite these initiatives, hostilities persist, endangering civilian populations and worsening humanitarian conditions, especially as international aid declines.