The accords build on a string of partnerships forged in 2025 to bolster the DRC’s role in global mineral supply chains. In September, the country signed a mining cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan covering exploration, production, processing and knowledge transfer. That same month, it concluded 18 strategic agreements with Qatar spanning infrastructure, energy and finance, which are sectors foundational to mining-sector expansion.

Cooperation with the European Union is also progressing, most notably through the development of the Lobito Corridor, a regional transport network linking Angola, the DRC and Zambia to global markets. The EU is further supporting geological capacity through PanafGeo+, a new digital geo-mapping platform led by France’s Bureau of Geological and Mining Research. Meanwhile, reinforced mining ties with China and the United Arab Emirates have brought in multibillion-dollar commitments from state-linked firms including International Resources Holding and Sinohydro.

As these global partnerships deepen, the next edition of African Mining Week – scheduled for 14–16 October 2026 – will offer a crucial platform for showcasing new investment-ready projects and aligning foreign capital with the DRC’s industrialization agenda. The event is expected to highlight how the country’s expanding diplomatic and financial alliances are reshaping its mining value chain, positioning the DRC not only as a supplier of critical minerals but as a strategic hub for processing, infrastructure development and regional economic integration. Together, these trends underscore the DRC’s accelerating shift from a resource-rich nation to an emerging power in global minerals governance.