The role of minerals and tech firms in the DR Congo conflict

Workers at a cobalt mine in the Mwenga territory of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo on July 14, 2023. Cobalt, an important component of rechargeable batteries used in cell phones, tablets, laptops and other portable electronic devices, is obtained from mines in DRC. [AFP]

The conflict between Rwanda-backed forces and the DR Congo is often presented as a struggle to control the valuable minerals that power global electronics.

But the focus on "conflict minerals" may obscure other drivers of the violence in one of the world's most volatile regions.