The Democratic Republic of Congo has sent a high-level delegation to the United States to fast-track negotiations on a strategic agreement that extends beyond economics to include security cooperation.
The nine-member team, made up of security experts and military intelligence officers, is on a 10-day mission between New York and Washington to focus on the security component of the proposed deal.
Kinshasa aims to craft a framework that ties economic cooperation to defense coordination under the principle of “mutual security,” granting the U.S. access to critical minerals in return for security guarantees to bolster Congo’s defense capabilities.
The DRC hopes to secure U.S. support in organization, equipment, and modernization of its defense system, while maintaining the primacy of its national army over foreign forces.
