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Eastern Congo war (M23 and Rwanda)
M23 revival 2022; Goma fell Jan 2025· Conflict or rivalry
FactTreaties, membership, measured data, events.
Fighting in eastern Congo between the government and M23 rebels, whom UN experts say Rwanda backs, in mineral-rich Kivu.
See it on the Geopolitics map →The picture
M23, a Tutsi-led militia, revived in 2022 and seized Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February; thousands were killed, and Congo has about 7 million displaced people. UN experts say Rwanda commands M23 and sent thousands of troops; Rwanda denies control and cites Hutu militias linked to its 1994 genocide. Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame signed US-brokered Washington Accords in December 2025, tied to minerals investment, alongside a Congo–M23 framework signed in Doha. Fighting continued into 2026.
Why it matters
The region holds cobalt, coltan, tin and gold vital for batteries and electronics, and it tests US minerals-for-peace diplomacy.
Key facts and numbers
UN Group of Experts reports, the signed Washington and Doha texts, and UN humanitarian data on casualties and displacement.
What to watch
Whether M23 and Rwandan troops truly withdraw or the deals freeze a de facto partition; Kinshasa's own army and allied militias also face abuse charges.
Connections (2)
▸Eastern Congo war (M23 and Rwanda) is fueled partly by Critical minerals and rare earthsWidely agreed
The relationship
Eastern Congo's coltan, tin, tungsten and gold give armed groups income. UN experts say M23 earns about $800,000 a month taxing coltan from the Rubaya mines, which supply roughly 15% of world tantalum, and that minerals are smuggled out through Rwanda. Congo's huge cobalt output comes mainly from the calmer southeast.
Since when and why
North and South Kivu; M23 took Rubaya in April 2024. US-brokered deals in 2025 tied peace to minerals investment.
How solid?
Widely agreed: UN Group of Experts reports cite export data and testimony, saying Rwanda's mineral exports exceed its own output; Kigali disputes this.
What to watch
Debated: whether minerals cause the war or mainly finance it, since ethnic security, land and Rwanda's fear of Hutu militias also drive it.
▸United States brokered a peace deal in Eastern Congo war (M23 and Rwanda)Fact
The relationship
The US mediated between Congo and Rwanda, which Congo and UN experts say backs the M23 rebels; Rwanda denies controlling M23 and cites threats from Hutu militias. The Washington Accords pair security steps with US access to Congo's cobalt, copper and coltan, while Qatar mediates with M23 directly.
Since when and why
Washington; foreign ministers signed on June 27, 2025, and presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame signed with Trump on December 4, 2025.
How we know
The signed texts, State Department releases and UN expert-group reports; fighting continued, as M23 took the city of Uvira days after the December signing.
What to watch
Whether the minerals-for-security model brings peace or mainly secures supply, and whether M23 and Rwandan forces actually withdraw.