'Unprecedented Attention' to Ending Congo War Under Trump?
Paul Kagame, Rwandan President, recently told Al Jazeera he's 'never seen this much attention' to ending the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, crediting 'Trumpian diplomacy' for setting aside 'democracy, freedom, and human rights.' Right, because nothing says peace like ignoring principles for which millions have died. Underneath this glowing endorsement, a grim reality: the UN has
repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in the DRC, a conflict that has displaced millions and led to widespread atrocities. While Kagame champions a 'post-human rights' approach to ending a humanitarian catastrophe, (perhaps a concept borrowed from the very nations funding his government), observers might wonder if 'de-emphasizing human rights' is merely code for 'facilitating resource
extraction without pesky moral interference.' Perhaps if the West paid as much 'attention' to sanctioning war profiteers as it does to laundering dictators’ images, actual peace might break out. After all, the DRC boasts vast reserves of minerals crucial for smartphones and EVs. Coincidence? One might wonder.