DRC Establishes “DRC-USA Task Force” to Accelerate Strategic Minerals Cooperation with the U.S.

Published: Sep 16, 2026 09:16

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According to Reuters on September 15, the Democratic Republic of Congo has established a “DRC-USA Task Force” to accelerate implementation of its strategic minerals cooperation agreement with the United States and move the partnership from a policy framework toward concrete investments and project execution.

As a major global supplier of copper and cobalt, the DRC will use the task force to coordinate progress in critical mineral investment, project development and supply-chain cooperation. DRC Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba said the mechanism is expected to improve the efficiency of implementation between the two sides.

In recent years, the U.S. has strengthened cooperation with the DRC in copper, cobalt and other critical minerals through support for mining investment, expanded access to Western markets and regional logistics infrastructure. The creation of a dedicated implementation mechanism could further deepen U.S.-DRC minerals cooperation and potentially influence cobalt trade flows, the international buyer mix and Western capital participation in the DRC.

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