Exploitative cobalt trade fuels Congo’s conflict

A significant part of the armed conflict in Congo is strongly connected to the sale of cobalt to major tech companies such as Apple, Samsung, Tesla, and a few Chinese firms. These companies engage in inhumane mining practices overseen by armed forces or militias, with these militias receiving payment from the mentioned companies.

Around 80% of the world’s cobalt is extracted from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The global demand for cobalt is not solely due to its quantity; this rare material is a critical element in all lithium-ion batteries essential for electric vehicles. These militias exploit children in cobalt mines, where they toil for up to 18 hours, working in cramped tunnels without adequate space to sit, inhaling toxic particles, and living in constant fear of tunnel collapses.

These tunnels frequently cave in, trapping and often killing those inside. Cobalt is hazardous upon contact or inhalation and is often found in proximity to the radioactive remnants of uranium. As a result, those employed in mining without proper protective gear and clothing develop cancers, respiratory ailments, and painful skin conditions.

Children of miners suffer from congenital deformities and developmental challenges. In summary, cobalt supply chains tainted by slavery, oppression, persecution, and child labor serve as a driving force behind this conflict. Despite transnational companies’ claims of commitment to human rights, refraining from employing children, ensuring clean supply chains, disclosing financial information, and adhering to ethical practices, the reality starkly contradicts these assertions. These “civilized companies” from “civilized states,” under the oversight of corrupt “human rights organizations,” turn a blind eye to mass killings perpetrated in order to facilitate the extraction of precious and strategically important minerals.