U.S. and Congo Review Minerals Pact, Lobito and Inga Plans
U.S. and Congolese officials met in Paris for the second steering committee of their strategic partnership, citing Lobito and Grand Inga progress.
PARIS — Officials from the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo held the second meeting of the Joint Steering Committee of their Strategic Partnership Agreement in Paris, the two governments said in a joint statement released Nov. 6, 2026.
The committee reviewed progress since its first meeting in February 2026, the statement said. The delegations discussed critical minerals processing, exports and energy projects for U.S. companies, according to the statement.
Lobito and Grand Inga
The committee recognized the signing of the concession agreement for the Lobito Corridor as a milestone, the statement said. It called the corridor “a key step toward stronger regional trade and connectivity.”
The delegations also discussed next steps on the Grand Inga hydropower project on the Congo River, according to the statement. The statement did not give a timeline or cost for either project.
Strategic Asset Reserve and financing
The committee welcomed growing U.S. private-sector interest in the DRC’s Strategic Asset Reserve, the statement said. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation briefed the meeting on its growing investment pipeline in the DRC, according to the statement.
The statement noted the DRC’s recent adoption of legislation setting tax and customs rules for projects under the agreement. Both governments committed to coordinate on its implementation, the statement said.
Security as a condition
The delegations “reaffirmed that peace and security are fundamental to the objectives of the Strategic Partnership Agreement,” according to the statement. It said the goal is for Congolese citizens and workers to benefit through jobs, skills and company growth.
The statement invited eligible companies to contact either government as implementation moves forward. It did not name participating officials or companies.
What it means
Analysis: The meeting ties minerals access to transport and power. The statement paired critical minerals with the Lobito trade corridor and the Grand Inga hydropower project. The new tax and customs law is the piece investors will watch, because it sets the terms for projects under the deal.
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Featured photo: The Inga dam on the Congo River (file photo). Photo: Χρίστος Ιμμανοελ, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
