DRC Says Rights Reports Strengthen Legal and Economic Case Against Rwanda and AFC/M23

Kinshasa, June 21, 2026 - The Democratic Republic of the Congo says recent reports on the security situation and mineral exploitation in eastern DRC have reinforced its legal and economic efforts against Rwanda and the AFC/M23.

Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said the findings support information already gathered by Congolese authorities and will strengthen ongoing legal actions. He announced that the Ministry of Justice is preparing additional judicial measures in the coming days.

Muyaya said the government's strategy targets both legal accountability and the economic networks linked to the exploitation and trade of minerals from conflict-affected areas. He stressed that investigations should examine the entire mineral supply chain rather than focusing only on those extracting the resources.

He also said the reports could provide additional evidence for existing legal proceedings concerning alleged war crimes and other violations committed in eastern DRC.

Addressing allegations of child recruitment, Muyaya stated that authorities had received repeated reports from families claiming children were being forcibly recruited in areas under AFC/M23 control. He argued that coercive recruitment reflects the group's difficulty in gaining public support in territories it controls.

The government reaffirmed its intention to continue pursuing legal, diplomatic, and economic measures aimed at protecting the country's interests and combating what it describes as an economy driven by conflict in eastern DRC.

Kinshasa maintains that the prolonged instability in the region is fueled by the illegal exploitation of mineral resources. Rwanda has consistently denied allegations that it is involved in exploiting Congolese minerals or supporting instability in eastern DRC.