European Parliament Calls for Suspension of EU-Rwanda Raw Materials Agreement Amid Conflict Concerns

The European Parliament, responding to appeals from NGOs and civil society, overwhelmingly voted (443 in favor, 4 against, 48 abstentions) to request the suspension of the memorandum of understanding between the European Union and Rwanda on critical raw materials. This agreement, which took effect last year, covers various critical raw materials exported by Rwanda, including tin, tungsten, gold, niobium, potential lithium elements, and various rare earths. The call to scrap the memorandum came after the M23 paramilitary group (supported by Rwanda) captured the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The core issue lies in the fact that the agreement allows the EU access to raw materials from Rwanda, some of which are suspected to be extracted from conflict zones in the DRC. A UN report from June 2024 indicated that the M23 had established a "parallel administration" controlling mining activities and trade in the DRC, leading to the export of at least 150 tonnes of coltan to Rwanda. The resolution passed by the Parliament is non-legislative; the decision to suspend the memorandum rests with the European Commission.