Congo, which is rich in cobalt, lithium and uranium, has been fighting Rwanda-backed M23 rebels that seized swathes of its territory this year.

The United States is holding “exploratory talks” with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over a deal that would give it access to the African nation’s critical minerals in exchange for military support, the Financial Times reported late on Friday.

The United States is open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo, the State Department said in a statement to Reuters on Sunday, after a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal.

The United States is in preliminary discussions with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) regarding a potential minerals-for-security agreement. ・Preliminary discussions between the U.S. and DRC involve a potential minerals-for-security agreement ・The deal would grant U.

A State Department spokesperson said the Democratic Republic of Congo holds a significant share of the world's critical minerals.

The United States is considering a critical minerals partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a State Department statement. This follows outreach from a Congolese senator proposing