Cobalt and anti-blackness: the war DR Congo can’t escape

One of the worst humanitarian crises is unfolding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group seized control of Goma, the country’s eastern largest hub, marking a dangerous escalation in a decades-old conflict over identity, power and resources.

Perched on the border with Rwanda and the shores of Lake Kivu, Goma is more than just a city—it is a vital economic artery, linking Congo’s mineral-rich eastern provinces to international markets.

Nearby mines produce gold, tin, and coltan, a crucial mineral for smartphones and electric vehicle batteries.  

Since Wednesday, M23 rebels have claimed control of Goma, though pockets of resistance remain.  

Why did war break out?

“This is a war over resources,” said independent journalist Shauntelle Boyer, who has been covering the conflict. “Goma is one of the world’s largest producers of coltan and cobalt. Seventy percent of the global cobalt supply comes from this region.”  

Instead of prosperity, Congo’s natural wealth has brought violence.

“This didn’t start a day or a month ago. The DRC’s riches have always attracted greed, colonialism, and imperialism,” Boyer added.

Millions of Congolese—men, women, and even children—are caught in the crossfire of a war fuelled by the modern world’s demand for technology and green energy.  

For over a year, M23 has controlled Rubaya, one of Congo’s main coltan-mining regions, generating an estimated $800,000 per month in taxes on production, according to the United Nations. The group’s recent territorial advances expand its access to mining revenue.  

While Rwanda denies involvement with M23, Congolese officials and journalists say the rebel group acts as a conduit for smuggling minerals into global markets.  

The latest fighting is the most severe escalation in eastern Congo since 2012.

Goma, a long-time hub for displaced people, aid workers, and UN peacekeepers, now faces another humanitarian disaster. Thousands of Congolese, already displaced multiple times, are fleeing the city.

The UN said the humanitarian situation in the besieged Goma is “extremely worrying” amid mass displacement, food shortages, looted aid, overflowing hospitals and widespread sexual violence.

Aid agencies warned that attacks on water and electricity infrastructure could fuel deadly infectious diseases like cholera

Is Rwanda involved?

The conflict’s roots stretch back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, whose fallout spilled across the border into Congo, setting off decades of violence.  

Amid the 1994 Rwandan genocide, an estimated 800,000 people—mostly from the Tutsi minority—were slaughtered by Hutu extremists.  

The genocide ended when a Tutsi-led rebel force, commanded by Paul Kagame—now Rwanda’s president—seized power. Fearing reprisals, roughly a million Hutus fled into what is now DR Congo, stoking ethnic tensions.  

In response, Rwanda’s military twice invaded Congo, claiming to target perpetrators of the genocide. 

In a statement on Sunday, Rwanda did not explicitly deny ties to M23 but called the violence near its border a “serious threat” to its security. It accused Congolese authorities of refusing to engage in peace talks with M23 and rejected claims that Rwanda was behind the offensive.  

But by Friday, Rwandan President Paul Kagame strongly rejected accusations that Kigali is supporting the armed group, saying: “M23 are not Rwandans—they are Congolese.”

A ceasefire brokered last year by Angola, involving both Rwanda and DR Congo, quickly collapsed, and fighting has since resumed.  

Why is the DR Congo war getting so little attention?  

Despite thousands of deaths, the war in Congo has long been overlooked by the global media.  

“Why does no one talk about Congo?” Boyer asked. “It’s anti-Blackness. The world doesn’t care about Black bodies […] Black stories are pushed aside.”  

She argues that deep-seated anti-blackness and dehumanisation have made conflict in Africa—whether in Sudan, Congo, or beyond—seem routine, drawing less coverage, sympathy, and support than crises elsewhere.  

Yet, independent journalists on the ground are working to change that. Images of devastation in Goma, captured by local reporters, have begun to shift attention toward the crisis and push people to take action against groups involved, including Rwanda.  

On Thursday, Grammy-winning singer Tems cancelled her concert in Rwanda, apologising for having promoted the show without realising the severity of the conflict in DRC.  

“Athletes, musicians, public figures—they have the power to reach people […] They need to speak out. They need to tell the truth,” added Boyer.

Moreover, on Friday, the 16-nation Southern African Development Community will hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss the “worrying situation”.