Resource exploitation, colonial legacies, and regional power drives eastern DRC war; Doha talks help but structural reforms needed
Original framing: “Can the Doha Framework end the conflict in eastern DRC?” — Al Jazeera
Scientific assessments link the surge in coltan and cobalt extraction to global battery demand, quantifying the economic incentives that fuel militia financing. Remote sensing data reveal that illegal mining expands at a rate of 12% per year, correlating with spikes in armed violence. Robust, interdisciplinary research is essential to design evidence‑based interventions that cut off funding streams.
The eastern DRC conflict persists because historic colonial extraction, contemporary global commodity demand, and regional power games intersect with weak state capacity and marginalised community grievances.
Indigenous stewardship, cross‑cultural conflict‑resolution traditions, and gender‑responsive frameworks offer alternative pathways that the Doha Framework alone cannot deliver. Scientific evidence of mining’s environmental and economic impacts, combined with future scenario modelling, underscores the urgency of structural reforms. By foregrounding the trickster paradox of peace talks that legitimize rebel power, stakeholders can reorient negotiations toward inclusive, accountable governance that dismantles the resource‑driven violence cycle.