War-torn Congo has a deal for Trump: Kick out rebels, get minerals
Live MintThe leader of a war-torn African nation has put a secret deal on the table for President Trump: Help his country defeat a powerful rebel force in exchange for access to a trove of minerals needed by U.S. high-tech firms. In exchange, Tshisekedi asked Trump for a “formal security pact" to help his army defeat M23, a Rwandan-backed rebel group that recently routed Congolese soldiers, United Nations troops and private mercenaries and seized key cities in Congo’s mineral-rich east. The Congolese letter didn’t specify what kind of military backing it wants from the U.S. A White House official said it doesn’t “provide details on the private correspondence to the president." An informal intermediary—a banker who advises mining companies in the African country—sent the Congolese offer letter to Trump’s office, which forwarded it to the White House National Security Council, according to a person familiar with the matter. Two Congolese government officials said representatives from the president’s office, finance ministry and state miner Gecamines have been leading the talks with Prince since last month.
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