Erik Prince, the founder of the private military company Blackwater, is negotiating a new $65 million contract (approx. Rwf95.8 billion) with the Congolese government to provide DR Congo’s military (FARDC) with technical and logistical support, particularly for military aircraft and drones, Africa Intelligence reports. ALSO READ: Eastern DR Congo experienced record number of drone attacks in February - report The proposed deal would expand Prince’s involvement in DR Congo, where his network of companies has been linked to mineral security, military logistics and support for Kinshasa’s war against AFC/M23 in the east. The new contract would also be handled through Vectus Global, a company founded by Prince. Although officially focused on maintaining warplanes and drones, reports indicate that his personnel could also continue supporting operations on the ground. ALSO READ: Kinshasa targeted Kabila, Nangaa in Goma drone strike, says AFC/M23 The precise terms of the proposed $65 million agreement and the number of personnel involved have not been established. The contract would reportedly strengthen FARDC’s operational capabilities, particularly in the air. The negotiations follow earlier contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, initially intended to secure mining sites but subsequently linked to broader military and logistical activities. ALSO READ: DR Congo army blamed for drone attack that killed 20 civilians, injured dozens From mineral security to military support In December 2024, Prince signed a five-year agreement through his network of companies, reportedly valued at $300-400 million. Other reports have put the value of the initial contracts at nearly $700 million. Kinshasa’s stated objective was to secure mining operations and improve revenue collection from the country’s mineral wealth, particularly in the copper- and cobalt-rich southern provinces. However, Prince’s involvement has also been linked to military and logistical support for FARDC through his private military company and mercenaries. ALSO READ: 315 killed in Kinshasa attacks on Minembwe in five months - report The initial plans to deploy advisers to Goma, North Kivu’s provincial capital, were disrupted when AFC/M23 captured the city in January 2025. The focus subsequently shifted towards southern mining areas, including Kolwezi. Prince’s companies, including Vectus Global, have since been linked to logistical and security support for FARDC operations, including around Uvira in South Kivu following the withdrawal of AFC/M23 from the city in late 2025. ALSO READ: European mercenaries at Kigali International Airport to return to their home country, Romania Reports have also linked foreign personnel to these operations, including Colombian former military personnel. Mercenaries against the international law Prince’s expanding role comes amid Kinshasa's continued reliance on foreign mercenaries in its war against AFC/M23, despite international and African legal frameworks restricting their recruitment, financing and use. ALSO READ: DR Congo: European mercenaries surrender to M23, get safe passage through Rwanda On January 29, 2025, Rwanda allowed the passage of at least 288 Romanian mercenaries who had surrendered to AFC/M23 after the capture of Goma. They had been fighting alongside FARDC, Burundian troops, the Kinshasa-backed FDLR genocidal militia, Wazalendo and other militias. ALSO READ: Mercenaries in the DRC crisis: What it means legally and ethically The group was believed to be part of a force of about 2,000 mercenaries hired by the Congolese government to fight AFC/M23 in eastern DR Congo. They were facilitated to return to Romania through Rwanda, after the movement’s capture of Goma and other key areas disrupted Kinshasa’s military operations. ALSO READ: Rwandan envoy says new UN report ‘fails to address’ hate speech, mercenaries in DR Congo International law places restrictions on the recruitment, financing and use of mercenaries. The 1989 United Nations Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries requires state parties to prohibit these activities, criminalise specified offences and impose penalties that reflect their seriousness. It also provides for international cooperation in preventing and prosecuting such offences. ALSO READ: Nduhungirehe presses AU, UN over DR Congo’s use of mercenaries The 1977 Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism treats it as a crime against peace and security in Africa. It provides for criminal responsibility for individuals and entities involved in mercenary activities and addresses the responsibility of states and their representatives. Despite these restrictions, Kinshasa continues to rely on foreign personnel in its military campaign. ALSO READ: FDLR continues killings, forced disappearances in eastern DR Congo, UN says Prince, a former US Navy SEAL, founded Blackwater, a private military company that became prominent during the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Blackwater and its personnel faced international scrutiny over their conduct in conflict zones, including the 2007 killing of Iraqi civilians in Baghdad. It later disbanded.
