US Sanctions Rwanda Gold Refinery Over Alleged DR Congo

The United States has intensified pressure on Rwanda’s mining industry after imposing sanctions on one of the country’s largest gold refineries, accusing it of helping move minerals out of rebel-controlled areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The sanctions target Gasabo Gold Refinery, its chairman Jean Malic Kalima and general manager Bosco Kayobotsi. According to the US Treasury, the refinery allegedly received at least 60 kilograms of gold worth millions of dollars that had been smuggled from eastern DR Congo during the early months of 2026.

Washington also sanctioned three mining companies linked to Kalima. They include Bugambira Mines, Wolfram Mining and Processing, and Rwinkwavu Mining Corporation. The measures freeze any assets held under US jurisdiction while prohibiting American citizens and companies from conducting business with the designated entities.

The latest action marks one of the strongest US efforts to disrupt what officials describe as an illicit mineral supply chain that fuels armed conflict in Central Africa. The Treasury alleges the network worked alongside the M23 rebel movement, which controls significant territory in eastern DR Congo. Those areas contain valuable deposits of gold and coltan, a critical mineral used in smartphones, electric vehicles and other advanced electronics.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States would continue targeting individuals and businesses that profit from conflict minerals.

“The United States will not allow rogue groups to profit from the illicit mineral trade and destabilise the region,” Bessent said. He added that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s vast mineral wealth should benefit its citizens rather than armed groups.

The allegations also extend beyond private businesses. The US statement claims some Rwandan government officials and members of the country’s military oversaw the alleged smuggling system. Rwanda has consistently rejected accusations that it supports the M23 rebels despite repeated findings by United Nations experts. Kigali has also dismissed previous sanctions from Western governments as unfair and politically one-sided.

The sanctions arrive less than a year after the European Union imposed similar measures on Gasabo Gold Refinery. European officials accused the company of benefiting from and exploiting the armed conflict in eastern DR Congo, further increasing international scrutiny of Rwanda’s mineral sector.

The announcement comes at a sensitive diplomatic moment. Last December, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a US-backed peace agreement designed to reduce violence and create a more transparent regional minerals industry. The agreement was widely viewed as a major diplomatic breakthrough for one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts.

However, fighting has continued despite those commitments. During a regional summit held this week to assess progress, officials from the United States, Rwanda and DR Congo expressed serious concern over escalating violence in eastern Congo. The renewed clashes highlight the difficulty of translating diplomatic agreements into lasting peace on the ground.

The sanctions could have consequences beyond Central Africa. Global manufacturers rely heavily on supplies of gold, coltan and other strategic minerals from the region. As governments tighten oversight of supply chains, companies sourcing critical minerals may face greater pressure to verify that their materials are free from links to armed conflict.

For Rwanda, the sanctions represent another diplomatic challenge as international attention focuses on its role in the regional minerals trade. For DR Congo, the measures reinforce long-standing demands that its vast natural resources generate economic growth for its people instead of financing violence.

The latest US action signals that conflict minerals remain at the centre of Washington’s Africa strategy. As geopolitical competition for critical minerals grows, governments are likely to increase scrutiny of supply chains while pushing for greater transparency across the continent’s mining industry.