Following the December 2023 withdrawal of the East African Community Regional Force
(EACRF) from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), mineral flows across the
Rwanda-Congo border have undergone significant transformation. This paper examines
how Rwanda’s newly established “border labs”—processing facilities and certification
centers positioned at strategic border crossings—have become critical nodes in the
reconfiguration of Central Africa’s coltan and gold supply chains. Using mirror trade
statistics from UN Comtrade, Rwanda Mines Board export data (2015-2024), and IPIS
mapping of 1,600+ mining sites in eastern DRC, we document a 150% increase in
Rwandan coltan exports coinciding with the EACRF withdrawal, while gold exports
reached $1.5 billion in 2024. The analysis reveals systematic discrepancies between
Rwanda’s declared mineral production and export volumes, raising questions about the
effectiveness of traceability systems in preventing conflict mineral circulation. As Kigali
joins the US-EU critical raw materials partnership, this research provides crucial evidence
for policymakers demanding proof that re-exported Congolese minerals are no longer
conflict-linked.