Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: April 18, 2025, at 2 P.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: The French investigative outlet Africa Intelligence reported on April 18 that former DRC President Joseph Kabila traveled to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. Private security contractor and Constellis—formerly Blackwater—founder Erik Prince agreed in principle to assist the DRC government in limiting fiscal evasion in the DRC’s mining sector. Rwanda agreed to allow Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops stationed in Goma to withdraw from the DRC via road through Rwanda. French state media reported that M23 aims to “redefine the status” of UN forces in areas it occupies in the eastern DRC. M23 resumed the operations of a state-owned transportation company that operates on Lake Kivu.

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia

Nothing significant to report.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

Nothing significant to report.

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

Nothing significant to report.

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu

Nothing significant to report.

Major Political Developments

The French investigative outlet Africa Intelligence reported on April 18 that former DRC President Joseph Kabila traveled to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. The outlet said that Kabila was “spotted” in Kigali and that he is expected to hold a press conference to “address the Congolese people” soon.[1] Kabila had announced that he would return to the DRC “via the eastern part” to “contribute to the search for a solution” to the security crisis on April 8.[2]

Private security contractor Erik Prince agreed to assist the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government in limiting fiscal evasion in the DRC’s mining sector. Reuters cited Congolese officials and sources close to Prince—a “Trump ally” and founder of the private security contractor Constellis, formerly called Blackwater—on April 17 who said that Prince agreed in principle to a deal with the DRC’s finance ministry to “improve tax collection and reduce cross-border smuggling of minerals.”[3] The Wall Street Journal previously reported that DRC President Félix Tshisekedi has been negotiating with Prince on the deal since February.[4]  The Congolese officials and sources close to Prince told Reuters on April 17 that there are currently “no plans to deploy security contractors to areas of active conflict.”[5] Reuters said that the agreement stipulates that Prince will deploy an initial technical team to the copper and cobalt-rich Katanga region in southeastern DRC, where an estimated $40 million of state revenue from mining operations is “lost” every month.[6] The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that the deal would allow Prince to deploy security contractors to protect tax collectors.[7]Reuters said on April 17 that the deal’s details will still need to be finalized within the context of a broader US-DRC minerals deal.[8] The US State Department said on April 17 in a press conference that the US-DRC minerals deal “will involve a range of private sector partners.”[9]

Rwanda agreed to allow Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops stationed in Goma to withdraw from the DRC through Rwanda. Reuters cited diplomatic sources on April 18 who said that Rwanda agreed to let the SADC forces exit the eastern DRC via road to Tanzania through Rwanda.[10] The diplomatic sources told Reuters that SADC weaponry will be “sealed for security reasons but will leave Rwandan territory with the troops.”[11] M23 and SADC troops had agreed on a phased withdrawal plan for SADC troops in late March, but the agreement collapsed after M23 accused SADC troops of participating in an attack on Goma on April 11 and reneged on the deal.[12]

French state media reported that M23 aims to “redefine the status” of UN forces in areas it occupies in the eastern DRC. The state-owned news outlet Radio France Internationale reported on April 17 that M23 has been pushing UN authorities for “several weeks” to sign an agreement with M23 to “regulate [UN forces’] presence on the ground.”[13] The outlet said that UN forces are restricted from negotiating with M23, however, because the UN Security Council must authorize UN forces to formally engage with sanctioned rebel groups.[14]

M23 resumed the operations of a state-owned transportation company that operates on Lake Kivu. A pro-M23 account on social media posted a news clip on April 18 that showed the M23-appointed “Governor” of South Kivu with M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka participating in the relaunch of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer du Congo (SNCC)—a state-owned transportation company responsible for railway and transport services, including boat navigation on Lake Kivu.[15]