The war in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border with Rwanda, has caused at least six million deaths in the last twenty-seven years, according to official figures. Some estimate that almost half of them are children. Village after village, the stories coming out of the region are horrifying. And Europe has a direct and deadly role in this war.

Today the talk is mainly of the so-called rebel group M-23, which is destabilizing the region. With the help of Rwanda, this group occupies part of Congolese territory. The role of the Rwandan regime is crucial in this sense. The United Nations has noted that Rwanda is not only supplying arms or money, but also has up to four thousand soldiers on Congolese territory. The secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, stated that the United Nations peace mission was facing a professional army that was better equipped than the UN troops themselves. He called on the Rwandan regime to stop supporting M-23 and to withdraw from the territory of the DR Congo, as this is a clear violation of Congolese sovereignty — and of international law.

What is the Rwandan regime looking for in DR Congo? This region is extremely rich in minerals and other natural resources. Take the example of cobalt or coltan, which European multinationals need for batteries, smartphones, and renewable energy, among other things, but which are also used in the aeronautics and military industries. The Kivu region of eastern Congo is alone thought to hold more than 60 percent of the world’s coltan reserves. This gives some idea of the strategic importance of this region.