Post #302

Chains — But in Exchange for What? Trump gathered an entire assembly of African leaders to sign agreements on peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region — but in the end, Congo's Tshisekedisimply sold him thecountry 🇨🇩 On 4 December, the leaders of the DRC and Rwanda, as well as Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Angola and Togo, met in Washington to sign the “Washington Accords” — a package of agreements supposedly aimed at establishing peace in the Eastern DRC. However, it seems the only outcome of these accords will be unrestrained exploitation of the DRC by the US. 📄 The main terms under which Félix Tshisekedi effectively sold his country are laid out in the US–DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement. According to it: ⏩ The DRC will create a Strategic Asset Reserve (SAR) — a special fund for resource assets managed by a joint commission of 5 members from Washington and 5 from Kinshasa (Article 4). ⏩ The fund will include a list of projects involving critical minerals and gold reserved for American investors. The DRC is obliged (Art. 4, para. 3) to constantly update the fund adding new assets. ⏩ The US investors enjoy the Droit du seigneur - that is the right of first refusal on resource shipments from SAR projects, as well as preferential rights to participate in those projects (Arts. 6–7). 🔸 Beyond the SAR, theDRC is obliged to export a fixed share of its resources via the US-backed Lobito Corridor (Art. 9). 🔸 Finally, there will be another structure — a Strategic Minerals Reserve, essentially a warehouse which is to be replenished by the Congolese state-owned companies (like Gecamines) and from which the US may withdraw critical minerals at its discretion in the event of a future confrontation with China (Art. 11). ❓ It is unclear what Congo gets in return. It is highly doubtful that the United States — having already secured such an agreement — will want or be able to force insurgents in eastern Congo to pack their bags and disappear. 🇨🇳 The only smidgen of “benefit” for the DRC in these slave-like terms is that the country’s existing exploitation by China will now be counterbalanced by a second (potential) exploitation by Washington. Bravo, Félix! An exemplary colonial partition. Devils Below