We don’t spend a lot of effort studying what happens in sub-Saharan Africa or Central Asia. Both could almost exist on another planet, except for the natural resources in the eastern Congo which several international actors very much want.
Writing for the Foreign Policy Research Institute Raphael Parens makes some sweeping claims about what appears to be a tribal-based, four-or-more-cornered proxy war in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo or DRC, with several armed groups as well as the national army involved. See his introductory paragraph:
The ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has cost approximately six million lives since 1996, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in world history. Ethnic and geopolitical competition among DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and various non-state armed groups fuel the fighting. This conflict has displaced over five million Congolese, fueling a cycle of poverty and militarization.
If it weren’t for the mineral wealth of Africa's Great Lakes region, the rest of the world would probably ignore it as a local squabble. However:
This region is home to a variety of natural resources, including gold, diamonds, oil, and other precious metals. DRC is the world’s third largest diamond producer at 23 percent of global supply, the largest producer of cobalt at 70 percent, an essential rare earth element in the green technology revolution, and a significant producer of gold, copper, and tin.
Parens sees the protracted conflict creating opportunities for foreign players’ mercenary groups - primarily Russia’s Wagner Group and certain less well publicized units from China. An upside Parens doesn’t explore is that the Islamic influence he fears may not manage to overcome long-standing tribal loyalties in the region that predate the now gone colonial era.
The situation Parens describes is a humanitarian tragedy, but I don’t see the U.S. getting deeply involved. Unless our Green ecofreaks manage to make electric cars mandatory, which could skyrocket the demand for Congolese cobalt. Hat tip to RealClearWorld for the link.
