UN report reveals involvement of Russian-linked firm in DRC's illicit mineral trade

Business Insider

8 hours ago

A new United Nations report has for the first time publicly identified a Russian-linked company operating in Rwanda as being complicit in the illicit trade of minerals sourced from conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The United Nations has directly linked an entity to the trade of conflict minerals from zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Boss Mining Solution, operated by Rwandan businessman and linked to two Russian owners is accused of acquiring conflict minerals from M23-controlled areas.
Rwanda disputes the UN findings, arguing that its military involvement in border regions addresses security threats rather than exploiting mineral resources.
Reuters reports that the allegation against the mining company marks the first time the United Nations has named an entity allegedly complicit in trafficking minerals looted from the Democratic Republic of Congo since M23 insurgents seized key mining territories last year.
The confidential UN report, which details how the recent territorial gains by M23 have further destabilized a region already plagued by decades of conflict, identified Boss Mining Solution as a key player in the smuggling of minerals from rebel-held areas.
The report reveals that Boss Mining acquired coltan and other minerals from M23-controlled areas.
Miningmx reports that the company exported at least 150 tons of coltan worth $6.6 million in 2024, making it Rwanda's sixth-largest exporter, despite the country having minimal coltan production.
According to the company's corporate profile reviewed by Reuters, Boss Mining is operated by Eddy Habimana, a Rwandan businessman. The firm is also linked to two Russia-born mining executives, who are listed as owners in official Rwandan corporate documents.
Rwanda government spokesperson Yolande Makolo, however, rejected the report, telling Reuters that the UN account ' misrepresents Rwanda's longstanding security concerns' regarding Hutu rebel groups that have targeted ethnic Tutsis in both Rwanda and Congo—a threat, she said, that ' necessitates the defense posture in our border areas.'
The UN panel's findings suggest that Boss Mining Solution played a key role in the cross-border trafficking of these minerals, despite longstanding international bans on sourcing commodities from insurgent-controlled zones.
Conflict minerals strain Rwanda-DRC relations
Tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, rooted in historic grievances and cross-border insurgencies, have been increasingly driven by the illicit trade in conflict minerals.
Eastern Congo's vast deposits of gold, coltan, tin, and tantalum have attracted armed groups and fueled instability.
Rwanda denies backing M23 rebels, but the group, widely believed to have Kigali's support, has seized major mining areas, disrupting supply chains and worsening the humanitarian crisis. The UN and global watchdogs have heightened scrutiny.
Proceeds from the mineral trade have played a crucial role in financing M23's insurgency.