Beyond Extractivism? Intertwined Conflict in Eastern Congo
by Josaphat Musamba
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY LÉOPOLD LAMBERT
Following an initial article by Onesphore Sematumba in our 61st issue (September–October 2025), we continue to explore the various complexities of the war in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We therefore asked Josaphat Musamba to describe the role of mining extractivism within this war, taking care not to make it the sole focus of the conflicts. Indeed, in Europe and North America, this extractivism is often presented as the cause, means, and goal of the war. The Congolese M23 rebellion, associated with the Rwandan army, is described as proxies for states and/or corporations of the Global North that profit handsomely from Congolese minerals. Although this narrative contains an undeniable proportion of truth, it nevertheless strikes us as simplistic if not lazy. Commissioning such a text for this issue thus reflects a desire to reaffirm that the regions comprising what is called “the Global South”—in this case, eastern Congo—are not exclusively driven politically by a relationship of exploitation with the North and possess diverse forms of agency, the potential for conflict within which can lead to wars.
Read the full article HERE.