The DRC and its Neighbourhood: The Political Economy of Peace

The policy brief argues that peace agreements in the DRC, specifically the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement (AAFA), reflect shifts in economic power between the eastern Kivus and the southern Katanga province. While early conflicts and the ICGLR were driven by the exploitation of coltan and other minerals in the east by Rwanda and Uganda, the subsequent rise of copper and cobalt investments in Katanga shifted geopolitical influence toward SADC states.

• The Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and the subsequent International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) were influenced by the economic interests of eastern neighbours, particularly Rwanda and Uganda, who controlled revenues from territories occupied by rebels they supported.
• A dramatic spike in coltan prices in 2000, rising from $80/kg in January to $800/kg by December, provided a windfall for the RCD-Goma rebel faction, which established a monopoly on exports.
• International campaigns and UN reports on the illegal plunder of natural resources led companies like Nokia and Motorola to stop buying Congolese coltan, causing the mineral's price to crash from $2,000/kg in December 2000 to $330/kg in April 2001.
• The economic center of gravity shifted toward Katanga province after 2006, driven by a 2004 mining code supported by the World Bank and increased Chinese demand for copper starting in 2007 and 2008.
• The rise of Katanga's economy, including a $2 billion investment by Tenke Mining Corporation for cobalt reserves, increased the geopolitical influence of SADC states over the DRC.
• The Addis Ababa Framework Agreement (AAFA) represents a shift in regional power, ensuring the geopolitical influence of SADC states due to their economic stakes in Katanga, contrasting with the earlier influence of Rwanda and Uganda in the Kivus.

APA

Musila, C. (2014). The DRC and its Neighbourhood: The Political Economy of Peace. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Policy-Briefing-109.pdf

Chicago

Musila, Cyril. The DRC and its Neighbourhood: The Political Economy of Peace. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Policy-Briefing-109.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Musila |first1=Cyril |title=The DRC and its Neighbourhood: The Political Economy of Peace |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=October 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Policy-Briefing-109.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{musila2014drc, author = {Musila, Cyril}, title = {{The DRC and its Neighbourhood: The Political Economy of Peace}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Policy-Briefing-109.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }