Why has DRC filed criminal charges against Apple over ‘conflict minerals’?

The tech giant has been accused of sourcing conflict minerals from sub-Saharan Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has filed criminal complaints against tech giant Apple’s subsidiaries in France and Belgium over the use of “conflict minerals” in their supply chains. Lawyers representing the Central African country, claimed in a statement this week that Apple’s subsidiaries in Europe are using conflict minerals sourced in sub-Saharan Africa and accused the company of “using deceptive commercial practices to assure consumers that the tech giant’s supply chains are clean”. On April 22 this year, the lawyers contacted Apple CEO Tim Cook after their research revealed Apple’s supply chain could be “tainted by blood minerals pillaged from the country ”, referring to the 3T minerals. The 27-member European Union has regulations in place to ensure its “importers of 3TG meet international responsible sourcing standards, set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ; ensure that global and EU smelters and refiners of 3TG source responsibly; help break the link between conflict and the illegal exploitation of minerals, and help put an end to the exploitation and abuse of local communities, including mine workers, and support local development.” The lawyers have, therefore, also written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanding that she address the EU’s accountability for ending “armed violence in sub-Saharan Africa’s mineral supply chains”.