Coltan, nickel, tin, gold: these minerals are critical raw materials for the European Union because they are indispensable in certain sectors, such as in the production of smartphones.
However, their production is often controlled by armed groups, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (mainly in the Kivu region).
The plundering of these ‘blood minerals’ has long led to massive violations of human rights, killings and forced displacements. They are also the cause of ecocide.
In 2017, the European Union adopted legislation forcing companies to ensure that they do not import these minerals from conflict zones.
The news coming out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is alarming. The bloody offensive by the M23 rebels, supported by the Rwandan army, has claimed the lives of at least 3,000 people. The income from the illegal exploitation of minerals is enabling the M23 to continue its conquest of the region.
It’s time for action. Just as the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia by limiting gas and oil exports after the invasion of Ukraine, it must now put pressure on Rwanda’s involvement in the exploitation of conflict minerals like coltan.
We demand:
Greens/EFA Members of the European Parliament