The “Curse’’ of Mineral Resources in Africa: Internationalising Conflict and Civil War in the DR Congo

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore the impact of conflict and civil wars in DR Congo and their ramifications on international relations among African and European nations. For many scholars of African history and internationals studies, DR Congo has remained a ‘powder keg’ or ‘an active volcano’ that can explode anytime mainly because the country possesses vast mineral resources which make it irresistible for countries to intervene thereby undermine the national sovereignty of DR Congo. Countries such as Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Chad, Burundi and Eritrea have been involved in the conflict in DR Congo for factors that are essentially political, social, economic and strategic in nature. Rwanda and Uganda are accused of destabilizing the internal peace and stability of DR Congo although both countries deny the allegations. By extension, the two countries are also accused of working in cohort with America and France to extend capitalism in DR Congo. The article shall argue that although countries involved justified their intervention in DR Congo for reasons such as maintaining national sovereignty, promoting peace, stability and democracy, the reality is that all of them have shown a keen interest in taking control over mineral resources. Thus, it is hoped that this article shall reveal the economic and political dynamics that underpinned the conflict and civil wars fought for years in DR Congo with the aim of explicating the hypocrisy exhibited by countries involved in the DR Congo debacle.