The Great Lakes Region of Africa remains a central arena for Western power competition, driven by its abundant critical minerals, which are foundational to global digital infrastructure, the clean energy transition, and defence technologies. ALSO READ: Selective accountability will not bring peace to eastern DR Congo The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) holds the vast majority of global cobalt reserves, which are crucial for manufacturing high-performance rechargeable batteries, particularly for electric vehicles. The 3TGs (tin, tungsten, and tantalum), used in microchips, defence applications, and solder, are heavily concentrated in Rwanda and DR Congo, two of the world’s leading producers. ALSO READ: ‘Blood minerals’ in DR Congo: Myth or reality? Since gaining independence in the 1960s, the countries of the region have endured recurring cycles of conflict, with the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda being the most devastating. Today, DR Congo appears to be repeating that pattern through an ongoing genocide targeting the Congolese Tutsi community. A class of local elites benefits from sustaining the status quo of war, serving as vehicles for Western interests that profit from regional turmoil. ALSO READ: Selective outrage and transactional diplomacy in eastern DR Congo Two figures stand at the center of this dynamic: Congolese President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi and his Burundian counterpart Évariste Ndayishimiye. The actions of both leaders remain deeply dangerous for the entire region. ALSO READ: Jean‑Luc Habyarimana and the Genocidal nostalgia Tshisekedi and Ndayishimiye pose a great threat, particularly following Jean-Luc Habyarimana’s entry into their alliance. Jean-Luc is the son of former Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana, whose regime masterminded the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. ALSO READ: Why genocide ideology doesn’t dissolve three decades after dispersion of genocidaires In recent years, Jean-Luc’s name has become increasingly prominent in regional politics because of his involvement in the conflict in eastern DR Congo, and especially his ties with the Kinshasa-backed genocidal FDLR militia. ALSO READ: The hypothetical son of Hitler: Defending the indefensible A member of Belgium-based Jambo Asbl, Jean-Luc has cemented his position as a staunch defender of his father’s genocidal legacy. And his efforts to reorganize or politically support FDLR, an armed terrorist militia founded by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide is a major concern. ALSO READ: Kagame says Habyarimana's son travelled to Kinshasa to deepen ties with FDLR Theirs is not a tripartite alliance of heads of state. Habyarimana’s son heads no government. The axis refers to the political and military cooperation between DR Congo under Tshisekedi, Burundi under Ndayishimiye, and FDLR under its self-proclaimed new chief. ALSO READ: How Burundian troops in South Kivu sparked a distinct humanitarian crisis amid DR Congo’s wider war This axis has openly vowed to overthrow the government in Kigali. To pursue that goal, Ndayishimiye allied with Tshisekedi and, more recently, with Habyarimana’s son to fight AFC/M23 rebels. The ultimate objective, however, extends beyond military confrontation: it is the elimination of the Tutsi, not only in DR Congo but across a region they frame as belonging exclusively to the Bantu people. ALSO READ: What are the motivations of Burundi’s military intervention in South Kivu? What makes this partnership especially dangerous is the genocidal nature of its objective. It openly advocates for the elimination of an ethnic group. The West is well aware that in the wake of the 1994 atrocities, the Congolese Tutsi population is determined to defend itself against any genocidal threat. The perpetuation of anti-Tutsi rhetoric therefore guarantees a sustained cycle of violence and instability, one that allows external actors to extract valuable raw materials without accountability. In Kinyarwanda, this is called gusahurira mu nduru: profiting from chaos. Unlike his counterparts, President Paul Kagame has never threatened to attack DR Congo or Burundi. The West, however, citing humanitarian concerns, imposes sanctions on Rwanda while ignoring the declared military aggression Rwanda faces from both DR Congo and Burundi. Rwanda, like AFC/M23, faces an existential threat. Yet the West chooses to back the architects of instability while penalizing their victims. An honest examination of the current conflict in the region raises one unavoidable question: beyond regional destabilization, what are the true objectives of the Tshisekedi–Ndayishimiye–Habyarimana alliance? The writer is a media specialist, historian, and playwright.
