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 centres positioned at strategic border crossings—have become critical nodes in the reconfiguration of Central Africa’s coltan and gold supply chains.

Data sources:

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.

Key finding:

The analysis reveals systematic discrepancies between Rwanda’s declared mineral production and export volumes, raising questions about the effectiveness of traceability systems in preventing the circulation of conflict minerals.

Policy significance:

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.