I'm surprised a few HNW individuals with the help of the UN haven't just mediated and purchased the land that represents the DRC? It's clear these people have no clue how to control the land, feed their people or prevent war-lords from exploiting their own people for slave labor. Why not setup a situation where the people of the DRC are housed, fed and provided healthcare from the proceeds of their rare-earths while allowing the western beneficiaries to use their military to oust violent barbaric war-lords?
> Why not setup a situation where the people of the DRC are housed, fed and provided healthcare from the proceeds of their rare-earths while allowing the western beneficiaries to use their military to oust violent barbaric war-lords?
> feed their people or prevent war-lords from exploiting their own people for slave labor.
Uh, what warlords? The huge majority of cobalt goes to china and the slightly smaller majority is directly influenced or controlled by china. This has nothing to do with the DRC, it's because of foreign interference.
Not to mention that one of the first effects of the liberalization required by the IMF and UN was to cause the state to sell off all its mining equipment and effectively destroy all local non-artisanal mining.
> from the proceeds of their rare-earths
Yeah can you give me any answers to any of these questions:
1. Which rare earth is in batteries?
2. Which rare earth is mined in Congo?
3. Is cobalt a rare earth element?
> oust violent barbaric war-lords?
Maybe update your priors to more recent than a decade ago
How likely is it that the people who "purchased the land" would have an interest in anything other than strip mining the resources as fast as possible getting the hell out?
Selling the country or its mineral rights is not how to feed the people.
This is an incredibly racist and supremely ignorant comment, displaying the same justifications that fuelled the colonialism in Africa hundreds of years ago that is still at the root of deeply systemic problems in that continent.
What is your proposed solution? The reason war lords control the region is to exploit rare earths. Why not create some kind of mediatory influence to reinforce the UN? I'm not pretending to have all the answers here.
Your comment is abhorrently condescending and shallow. Yes, you have highlighted a historic atrocity and grievance of the region - why is this a reason why the west shouldn't try to help these people? In your mind, are the people of the DRC "beyond" help? That's an awfully charged and deconstructive opinion my friend.
The problem is that your 'solution' is worse than the problem. It'll begin with a bloody war, which will create plenty of grievance against the invading forces, followed by an occupation which will be all able what is good for the invading forces, usually at the expense of the locals.
The 'good' way it ends is the invaders draw down and leave in defeat, nothing good having been accomplished.
The bad way it ends is the invaders deciding they want to get something for all the money they spent, and them going into full colonisation mode.
I acknowledge the horrific history of colonizing / private exploitation of the African continent. Europeans as a whole are 100% on the hook for this. This is also HN, so any mention of this region / situation is just going to result in the poster being downvoted, flagged and labeled every kind of horrible term other users can come up with.
However, it's painfully evident that the UN is incapable of keeping the peace or trying to stabilize the region. In short, I'm trying to start a discussion here as to how nations with some sense of diplomacy and interest in these minerals could mediate in a meaningful way. There simply must be a better way. Not to be blunt, but we need a similarly over-regulated private offering equivalent to the "public" option of german healthcare. Curious if an impact fund of some kind could cooperate with NGO's and the UN? The formation of some kind of demilitarized zone? There has to be a way to improve this situation and prevent more of their own people being killed?
Mostly in order to prevent China from coming in and clearing house like they have in other regions of Africa.
What you said is like cheating on a test by looking up the answers. That doesn't work. The DRC has to find a solution on its own or it will become entirely dependent on western influence.
