The Democratic Republic of Congo has signed a principal agreement with U.S.-based KoBold Metals to launch a major mineral exploration program, signaling a deepening partnership between Washington and Kinshasa at a time of heightened global interest in critical minerals.
The agreement, signed in Kinshasa in the presence of President Félix Tshisekedi, represents a strategic step in unlocking the country’s vast untapped mineral wealth particularly lithium amid growing geopolitical competition for raw materials essential to the global energy transition.
Nationwide mineral exploration
KoBold Metals, backed by high-profile investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is already a stakeholder in the Manono lithium deposit, one of the world’s largest. With this new deal, the company will expand its focus beyond Manono to conduct nationwide mineral exploration using advanced AI-driven technologies. It plans to digitize the DRC’s geological archives, currently stored at Belgium’s Royal Museum for Central Africa, and apply for exploration permits covering more than 1,600 square kilometers by July 2025.
This agreement builds on a broader U.S. strategy, initiated under the Trump administration, to reinforce bilateral ties with the DRC and promote regional stability. Recent U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to mediate tensions between the DRC and Rwanda further highlight Washington’s growing engagement in the region.
