WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the U.S. government put sanctions on the armed organization CODECO, a Congolese mining business, and two Hong Kong-based exporters. This was part of a coordinated effort to end the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo and break up illegal trade networks. A high-ranking U.S. official, who did not want to be named, said that the State and Treasury departments put the sanctions in place.
CODECO, which ran the important coltan mining site of Rubaya from 2022 until early 2024, is suspected of making money by running mining activities, collecting illegal fees and taxes, and smuggling minerals. The officer further said that the group “forced people to work and killed civilians in areas where it was in charge of mining.”
Companies Sanctioned and the Bigger Picture
The U.S. has also put sanctions on the Congolese mining company CDMC, which is accused of exporting minerals that were illegally mined and trafficked from mines near Rubaya. The Hong Kong companies East Rise and Star Dragon were also punished for buying minerals from the area. The sanctions stop these groups from doing business with the U.S. or with U.S. businesses and freeze their assets in the U.S. or under U.S. control.
The U.S. is trying to pacify eastern Congo and protect its supply line for crucial minerals that are needed for contemporary technologies. The sanctions are part of this endeavor. The M23 rebel faction currently controls the Rubaya mining location, and the U.S. has already put sanctions on them.
For decades, the eastern Congo region has been full of bloodshed. In June, the U.S. helped Congo and Rwanda sign a peace pact to try to end the fighting. By August 18, Congo and the M23 rebels will also sign a permanent peace pact. But on Tuesday, the two parties started arguing again, each blaming the other for breaking the agreement. This might put the fragile peace efforts in danger.