The Democratic Republic of Congo has created a dedicated task force to accelerate its strategic minerals partnership with the United States, as Kinshasa seeks more Western investment in its vast copper and cobalt industry while reducing its dependence on Chinese financing.
KINSHASA, DR CONGO — The Democratic Republic of Congo has approved a new DRC-USA Task Force to speed up implementation of its critical minerals partnership with the United States.
The decision, approved by the cabinet on September 11, is intended to move the agreement from diplomatic commitments toward mining investments, infrastructure projects, and expanded access to international markets.
Economic Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba said that the task force would coordinate implementation of the partnership and help turn its commitments into tangible economic and security benefits for Congolese citizens.
The government has not yet disclosed the task force’s full membership or which projects will receive priority.
Why the DRC-US Minerals Deal Matters
The DRC holds a powerful position in the global race for critical minerals.
It is the world’s largest producer of cobalt and second-largest exporter of copper, two resources that are increasingly important to electric vehicles, batteries, electricity networks, electronics, and the global energy transition.
That has placed Congo at the center of competition between the United States and China over access to strategic mineral supply chains.
For Kinshasa, the US partnership is also part of a broader effort to diversify foreign investment in a mining industry where Chinese companies have established a major presence. The strategic minerals partnership was signed in December 2025.
Congo Looks Beyond China for Mining Investment
China remains deeply embedded in the Congolese mining sector following years of investment in copper and cobalt production.
The United States, meanwhile, has been seeking to secure more diversified supplies of critical minerals and reduce China’s dominance across global processing and supply chains.
The DRC hopes to use the competition as an opportunity to attract new investment, but rather than abandoning Chinese partnerships, Kinshasa is seeking to broaden its pool of investors and build stronger economic ties with the United States and other Western partners. Now, the challenge for Congo will be ensuring that competition over its resources yields greater benefits within the country.
US Partnership Has Already Produced Mining Deals
The partnership has already generated some investment and commercial agreements.
A US-backed investment involving Virtus Minerals has moved forward, while the Congolese state mining company Gécamines has expanded its copper offtake arrangements with the commodities traders Mercuria and Glencore.
Those arrangements are expected to direct more Congolese copper toward Western markets.
The new task force is intended to accelerate similar projects by improving coordination between Congolese government institutions and removing obstacles that could delay investment.
Its establishment comes later than originally planned.
A Congolese government official said the task force was expected to become operational in February but was delayed by administrative hurdles. Work on the broader US partnership continued during that period.
Congo Approves Record $24.8 Billion Budget
The task force was approved as the Congolese government also adopted a proposed $24.8 billion budget for 2027, the largest in the country’s history. The spending plan is about 12% higher than the revised 2026 budget.
Infrastructure, security, and economic diversification are among the government’s stated priorities. Those objectives overlap with the ambitions behind the US minerals partnership, particularly as Congo seeks foreign investment to support industries and infrastructure beyond raw mineral extraction.
Can Congo Turn Mineral Wealth Into Economic Power?
Creating the task force is an administrative step. Its significance will ultimately depend on the projects it delivers.
Congo’s copper and cobalt reserves give the country considerable leverage as the United States, China, and other major economies compete to secure minerals needed for new technologies and energy systems.
But mineral production alone does not guarantee broad economic development.
For the US partnership to deliver meaningful results for Congo, investment will need to extend beyond extracting and exporting raw materials.
Infrastructure, domestic processing, employment, transparent contracts, and stronger Congolese participation in mineral value chains will determine how much of the country’s resource wealth remains within its economy.
The DRC-USA Task Force is intended to move that strategy from agreements to implementation.
For Kinshasa, the greater opportunity is to turn the growing global demand for Congolese minerals into something the country has struggled to achieve for decades: using its extraordinary natural resources to create greater economic value at home.
