The power problems are ironic, because DRC has some of the biggest hydropower potential in the world. Its rivers could produce 100k megawatts of electricity, and its Inga site on the Congo River at 44k, would be the biggest single hydro plant in the world. www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

The DRC, home to 75% of world cobalt production & the second-biggest source of copper, is at the heart of the global energy transition. But its lack of power is keeping it from being able to process those critical minerals at home, move up the value chain www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

“Local environmentalists said the latest crisis comes after prior warnings over the years of slow contamination of local waters and soil by toxic effluent from the CDM facilities.” www.semafor.com/article/11/1...

“Some people will inhale toxic substances evaporating from the river. Fish poisoned by the spill could also reach local markets, endangering thousands,” warned Dickson Kabange, a member of the government commission www.semafor.com/article/11/1...

“Early assessments by experts suggest serious environmental damage. Water in the region has been heavily contaminated with lead, arsenic, and other substances, according to OCC, a government-commissioned group of independent environmental researchers.” www.semafor.com/article/11/1...

“As specific mining projects mature, DFC and Export–Import Bank financing could be leveraged to match the growing need for equity and debt financing and insurance products.”

www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africa...

A $750 million Great Lakes regional compact could rapidly do the following:

www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africa...

“With the MCC, the Trump administration has an execution platform, not just a financing source, that can support the long-term success of the US-DRC critical minerals deal.”

www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africa...

Tying disbursements to measurable governance benchmarks gives the United States leverage beyond diplomacy and makes reform inseparable from financing.

www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africa...

“Unlike the US Development Finance Corporation, the MCC has expertise in driving policy shifts by conditioning disbursements on reforms, addressing market entry barriers.”

www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africa...

“Much of the positive influence it can wield in the country might come in the form of less flashy structural support on a longer time horizon (infrastructure development and debt restructuring, for example).” www.hudson.org/terrorism/be...

“Washington needs to keep in mind that the impetus for progress ultimately lies with Abuja, as the US has limited room to meaningfully affect the trajectories of Nigeria’s conflicts.” www.hudson.org/terrorism/be...

“It is not the role of US policymakers to scrutinize or litigate every local conflict in Nigeria. But they would do well to recognize the variety of actors involved and the fact that both Christians & Muslims are victims.” www.hudson.org/terrorism/be...

“The US needs to understand that a) Nigeria can’t effortlessly dismantle all militant networks within its borders & b) religiously divisive narratives will make it harder for Nigerian gov’t to achieve necessary political consensus to tackle insecurity” www.hudson.org/terrorism/be...

Instead, progress depends on reforming Nigeria’s security institutions, addressing corruption and inequality, and strengthening the state’s legitimacy and service delivery. www.hudson.org/terrorism/be...