The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series Making Sense of Africa: Congo and Rwanda || Peter Zeihan
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Mar 19, 2025 Explore the escalating tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Discover how colonial borders and population density shape these nations. Uncover the resource conflicts driven by the insurgent group M23 and their impact on regional stability. Dive into the strategic significance of the copper cobalt belt and the intricate web of international relations influencing this volatile area.
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Rwanda-DRC Conflict
- Rwanda, a small densely populated country, frequently invades its much larger neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
- The DRC, despite its size, is hampered by poor infrastructure and a decentralized government, making it vulnerable.
Cobalt's Importance
- The DRC's Katanga region holds 70-75% of the world's cobalt, a crucial material for batteries.
- Rwanda's advances towards this region have significant implications for the global supply of cobalt.
Rwanda's History of Intervention
- Rwanda previously overthrew the Congolese government and installed a proxy ruler.
- Their current leader, Kagame, while credited with ending a genocide, is described as potentially "borderline genocidal" himself.