DRC Establishes US-DRC Special Working Group to Accelerate Strategic Minerals Partnership

Published: Sep 21, 2026 10:00

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According to foreign media reports, Kinshasa, September 11 — The DRC Cabinet approved the establishment of a DRC-US working group to accelerate the implementation of the bilateral strategic minerals partnership agreement and attract Western investment into the country's copper and cobalt industries. The DRC is the world's largest cobalt producer and the second-largest copper producer and exporter. The two countries signed a minerals cooperation agreement last December, marking the latest move by the country to broaden financing channels and strengthen cooperation with the US. Under the current cooperation framework, Virtus Minerals has already secured US-backed mining investment and is facilitating expanded copper mine cooperation between Gecamines, Mercuria, and Glencore, helping mineral products reach Western markets. The working group was originally scheduled to launch in February this year but was delayed by administrative obstacles, and its members and key projects have not yet been disclosed. The Cabinet meeting also approved a $24.8 billion fiscal budget for 2027, a 12% increase over this year's revised spending, with infrastructure, security, and economic diversification as priority areas.

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