A Belgian court ordered Semlex and 13 defendants to stand trial for allegedly diverting nearly 60 million dollars from Congo's biometric passport contract, reviving scrutiny of colonial-era ties between the nations.
The US imposed comprehensive sanctions on former DR Congo President Joseph Kabila, freezing his American assets and barring business dealings, alleging he financially supported the M23 rebel group and destabilized the country, though Kabila denies the politically motivated accusations.
The Trump administration froze all US assets of former Congolese President Joseph Kabila for allegedly funding Rwanda-backed rebel groups M23 and Congo River Alliance, escalating enforcement of a US-mediated peace deal aimed at stabilizing eastern Congo.
The Trump administration's security-for-minerals approach in the Democratic Republic of Congo faces significant obstacles as continued M23 rebel fighting, Rwanda's frustration with perceived US favoritism toward Kinshasa, and deep historical grievances undermine peace negotiations and threaten US mineral supply chain interests.
Trump's $9 billion Congo mining deal through a US-backed consortium stalls over sanctions against Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler, who collects $250,000 daily in royalties from the targeted operations despite Treasury sanctions since 2017.
The Trump administration sanctioned former Congolese President Joseph Kabila, freezing his U.S. assets for allegedly funding Rwanda-backed M23 and Congo River Alliance rebels destabilizing eastern Congo, reinforcing commitment to a fragile U.S.-mediated peace agreement.
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels accused the United States of failing to adequately mediate Congo's conflict, claiming Washington hasn't pressured the Congolese government over alleged peace violations while seeking access to the region's critical mineral reserves.
Defense Secretary Hegseth claims a ceasefire paused the War Powers Act's sixty-day countdown requiring congressional authorization for ongoing Iran hostilities, though Pentagon officials briefed Trump on renewed strike options, raising escalation risks.
Glencore offers a way to acquire critical minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.