A new United Nations report has, for the first time, publicly named a Russian-linked company in Rwanda as being involved in the illegal trade of minerals from conflict areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The report alleges that Boss Mining Solution, a Rwandan company, played a central role in moving minerals looted from zones controlled by the M23 insurgent group.
This marks the first time the UN has identified a specific company allegedly tied to the trafficking of minerals from Congo since M23 fighters captured major mining regions last year, according to Reuters.
The confidential report describes how M23’s recent territorial gains have deepened instability in a region that has already endured decades of violence.
It says Boss Mining Solution obtained coltan and other minerals from rebel-held areas and exported at least 150 tons of coltan worth $6.6 million in 2024, making the company Rwanda’s sixth-largest exporter of coltan despite Rwanda’s own limited production, based on data cited by Miningmx.
Boss Mining is run by Rwandan businessman Eddy Habimana and is linked to two Russia-born mining executives, who are listed as owners in official Rwandan company documents reviewed by Reuters.
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Rwanda’s government rejected the UN’s findings. Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the report “misrepresents Rwanda’s longstanding security concerns” about Hutu rebel groups that have attacked ethnic Tutsis in both Rwanda and Congo, and she argued that this threat “necessitates the defense posture in our border areas.”
Despite international bans on buying minerals from insurgent-held areas, the UN report points to Boss Mining Solution as a key player in cross-border smuggling.
The illegal mineral trade has worsened tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, adding fuel to historic disputes linked to rebel activity along the border.
Eastern Congo’s rich deposits of gold, coltan, tin, and tantalum have long attracted armed groups and driven conflict in the region.
Rwanda denies backing the M23 rebels, but the group, widely believed to have support from Kigali, has taken control of major mining zones, causing supply chain disruptions and worsening the humanitarian crisis. The mineral trade has been vital to funding M23’s operations.
A peace deal recently brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to ease tensions by cutting off rebel support, returning mining areas to government control, and pushing for more transparent trade.
Whether this will succeed remains to be seen, but it offers a potential path toward reducing conflict.
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Image Credit: Lemonde
