Latest news with #Democratic Republic of the Congo
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Trump Must End Dodd-Frank's Backdoor Tariffs Blocking Critical Minerals & Impoverishing Congo
Amid controversies over tariffs and their effects, one particularly destructive barrier to trade has gone overlooked: restrictions on 'conflict minerals' that exacerbate poverty in the developing world, undermine U.S. access to rare earth metals and critical minerals, and hand a competitive edge to China in control of the global supply of these critical minerals. Ironically, this trade barrier was not erected by President Donald Trump. It came from legislation hailed by many Democrats now critical of Trump tariffs. Nor did it come from legislation particularly geared to trade. Rather, this obstruction of trade was a last-minute insertion into the Dodd-Frank financial regulation overhaul signed by President Barack Obama 15 years ago in July 2010. Dodd-Frank's Section 1502 targets the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has recently been a focus of the Trump's administration's strategic plans to access rare earths and other critical minerals to ensure a steady supply not reliant on China. The DRC has one of the richest mineral supplies in the world but is plagued by violence from warlords and militias, including a July 27 attack on a Catholic church that left at least 49 worshipers dead. The Trump administration's African diplomatic team has made headway in striking a deal with the nation in which the U.S. would provide security assistance to the DRC government in its fight against warlords in return for U.S. access to critical minerals within the country. But any such deal would likely be threatened by Section 1502, effectively a prohibitive backdoor tariff on many U.S. companies trying to access the DRC's resources. This Dodd-Frank provision forces publicly traded companies in the U.S. to disclose if any of their products contain 'conflict minerals' mined in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and nine adjoining African nations. Under the law, firms listed on U.S. stock exchanges must audit their supply chains and disclose if their products contain even traces of four designated minerals—gold, tantalum, tin and tungsten—that might have been mined in areas controlled by warlords. The provision was sold as a way to protect Congolese residents from warlords who profited from the mining and sale of these minerals, with little effect on U.S. consumers and producers. Yet the rule has ended up increasing poverty and violence in the DRC while depriving the U.S supply chain of access to critical minerals needed for everything from smartphones and laptops to medical equipment. The big problem is that companies often face insurmountable difficulties when trying to trace the origins of tiny components of their products. As the Wall Street Journal reported, manufacturers spent about $709 million and more than six million man-hours attempting to trace their supply chains for conflict minerals in 2014. After all this expense, 90% of those companies still couldn't confirm their products were conflict-free. As a result of these burdens in auditing the supply chain, many companies simply left the DRC and Congo region altogether and sourced materials elsewhere. As David Aronson, an acclaimed journalist who has written about the region for more than three decades, put it in testimony to Congress, 'the law imposed a de facto embargo on mineral production that impoverished the region's million or so artisanal miners.' Among the lingering effects of the de facto embargo are reductions in education, health care, and food supply. These woes stem both from the sharp increase in unemployment of the region's miners and – as noted by Aronson in his testimony and in a New York Times op-ed he wrote -- the sharp reduction in mining company planes that also brought food and medicine to the region that occurred after U.S firms left. A study in the Journal of Law and Economics in 2016 found that the mandate from the Dodd-Frank provision increased infant mortality in the affected Congo regions by at least 143 percent. And the warlord situation didn't improve and in fact may have worsened because of the Dodd-Frank provision. An October report to Congress from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found 'no empirical evidence that the rule has decreased the occurrence or level of violence in the eastern DRC, where many mines and armed groups are located.' The GAO also found that 'the rule was associated with a spread of violence, particularly around informal, small-scale gold mining sites, … since gold is more portable and less traceable than the other three minerals.' The poverty and violence that soared due to Dodd-Frank's effects also gave China the perfect entry point into the Congo region. With limited options, the DRC government agreed to China's offers over the past 15 years of building infrastructure in return for granting China access to its minerals. Now, as China has failed to deliver promised infrastructure improvements, the DRC is looking for a new deal with the U.S that will focus on boosted security and trade rather than aid. But any such deal will likely fail as long as Dodd-Frank's burdens on U.S. companies accessing the minerals continue. As the GAO notes, the rule's near-insurmountable burden – that 'many mines are located in remote, potentially insecure areas, and coordinating teams to visit and inspect them is difficult' – remains standing as a trade barrier. Fortunately, the Dodd-Frank provision allows the president to waive its mandate for two years if he deems such a waiver to be in the interest of national security. President Trump, as part of his goal of U.S. resurgence, must make use of this waiver to reduce China's influence and increase U.S. access to the region's minerals. Then, he should call on Congress to end this trade barrier by repealing Dodd-Frank's Section 1502. It's time for the president and Congress to remove this backdoor tariff from Dodd-Frank that puts China first and the U.S. and DRC last. John Berlau is Senior Fellow & Director of Finance Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute and author of the book George Washington, Entrepreneur: How Our Founding Father's Private Business Pursuits Changed America and the World.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Fears for crucial gorilla habitats as pristine forests are opened to bids for oil and gas drilling in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is opening untouched forest land and gorilla habitats to oil and gas firm for drilling, with an aim to allow resource exploitation on half the country. The DRC's government has opened 306million acres of land and inland water, described as the 'world's worst place to prospect for oil', for auction, splitting the vast swathe of land up into 52 blocks. According to Earth Insight, a research group, 64% of the area that is set to be exploited is intact tropical forest, and experts have warned that the DRC's government's move stands at odds with its commitments to protect biodiversity. The DRC's ancient forests are home to several endangered species, including gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobo apes and okapis, otherwise known as forest giraffes. And the area that is being flogged off to oil firms is home to 39million people, including many Indigenous people who often rely on clean and healthy forest and river lands to survive. Pascal Mirindi, campaign coordinator for Notre Terre Sans Pétrole, a group campaigning to prevent resource exploitation in the DRC, said: 'Imagine: 39 million Congolese people … and 64% of our forests could be directly affected by the awarding of these oil blocks. 'Where is the logic? Where is the coherence? We are reminding our leaders that the Congolese people are the primary sovereign. We will not remain silent while certain people organise themselves to sell off our future.' It comes just a few years after a failed attempt to launch tenders for dozens of oil and gas blocks across the African nation that was cancelled due to late submissions and a lack of competition, according to the government. Professor Simon Lewis from University College London, who led the team that first mapped the central Congo peatlands, said: 'The world's worst place to prospect for oil is up for auction, again.' He said: 'No credible company would bid for oil in the DRC's forests and peatlands, as there is probably not enough oil to be commercially viable, and it will be expensive oil in financial, social and environmental costs.' Despite the DRC announcing a flagship conservation initiative that aimed to protect vast amounts of the country, 72% of this area overlaps with the planned oil blocks. Earth Insight has called for the DRC to call off the latest oil and gas tenders, and to invest in alternative means of energy production. Anna Bebbington, a research manager at Earth Insight, said: 'Oil and gas development in these fragile ecosystems would have devastating impacts on biodiversity, communities, land rights and the global fight against climate change.'
Zawya
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Zawya
Shaikha Al Nowais meets with President of Congo to explore future partnerships in culture, tourism, and sustainable development
Democratic Republic of the Congo: H.E. Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General-elect of UN Tourism for the 2026–2029 term, met with H.E. Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to discuss avenues for future cooperation between UN Tourism and the Congolese government in the areas of culture, tourism, and sustainable development. The meeting focused on strengthening partnerships to advance shared priorities, while addressing the challenges facing the cultural sector. Discussions also explored opportunities to elevate the Democratic Republic of Congo's status as a leading cultural and tourism hub in Africa. Her Excellency also held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Yolande Elebe Ma Ndembo, Congolese Minister of Culture, Arts, and Heritage, during which both sides explored prospects for collaboration aimed at enhancing cultural infrastructure and developing public policies to safeguard intellectual property and promote the rights of artists. The meeting underscored the vital role of culture and tourism in rebuilding national identity and empowering local communities, highlighting the need for inclusive and forward-looking policies in both sectors. World Music and Tourism Festival The meetings took place on the sidelines of H.E. Shaikha Al Nowais's participation in the inaugural edition of the World Music and Tourism Festival, organised by the Congolese Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the UN Tourism in Kinshasa. The Festival's aim is to support sustainable cultural and tourism policies and highlight the role of music and the arts in promoting intercultural dialogue through diverse tourism and cultural activities. Held under the theme 'The Rumba Route for Peace,' the Festival brought together prominent cultural leaders and tourism policymakers from around the globe, along with African artists and creative institutions. It featured live musical performances, high-level institutional dialogues, and field visits, serving as an unprecedented international platform that blends culture, tourism, and community development. Significance of culture and music in creating tourism opportunities H.E. Shaikha Al Nowais emphasized that music serves as a universal language that fosters understanding, tolerance, and solidarity among cultures. She underscored the vital role of investment in cultural and creative industries as powerful drivers of social and economic empowerment, particularly for youth. Her Excellency also noted that music transcends borders and reflects shared human values, making it a powerful tool for promoting cultural awareness and unlocking sustainable tourism opportunities across continents. 'Musical Villages Across Continents' initiative During her participation in the festival, H.E. Shaikha Al Nowais announced an international initiative titled 'Musical Villages Across Continents,' set to officially launch in 2026. The initiative aims to establish creative community centres in both Africa and Latin America to nurture local musical talent, promote cultural exchange, and encourage the creative economy in both rural and urban communities, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Roundtable on tourism as a tool for cultural diplomacy H.E. participated in a high-level roundtable discussion titled 'Transatlantic Rhythms for Peace: Advancing Advocacy and Policy Strategies for International Connections.' It brought together ministers and international policymakers from Africa, Latin America, and Asia to discuss the growing role of music tourism as a tool for cultural diplomacy, peace-building, and equitable development. Participants included H.E. M'pambia Musanga Didier, Minister of Tourism of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and H.E. Yussif Issaka Jajah, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts of the Republic of Ghana. Visit to the Symphony Orchestra School On the sidelines of her participation in the festival, H.E. Shaikha Al Nowais visited the Kimbanguist Symphony Orchestra School, where she met with young musicians and learned about the school's training and arts academic programs. -Ends- For further information, please contact: Orient Planet Group (OPG) Email: media@ Website:
France 24
18-07-2025
- General
- France 24
Liberia: Hundreds rally in Monrovia to protest against Joseph Boakai's government
Also in this edition, in Democratic Republic of the Congo, teenage pregnancy rates are among the highest in the world. Pregnant girls are often turned away from classrooms. However, this could soon change. The government is stepping in to stop this and ensure that girls can continue their education. However, there is pushback from the Catholic Church, which is influential in the country. As this Friday marks Mandela Day, people around the world celebrate Nelson Mandela's legacy and his lifelong fight for human rights. Across South Africa, people are rolling up their sleeves to give back. In Cape Town, so many people have attended this year's festivities that an annual soup kitchen event has had to move to the city's biggest stadium.
