CC BY-4.0 Prime Minister’s Office of Japan – Adapted
Name? Judith Suminwa Tuluka
Westphalian identity? Congolese
Age? 58
Why is she in the news? At the UN General Assembly in New York on 23 September, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Judith Suminwa Tuluka, warned that net zero cannot be built on blood-stained minerals. Emphasising the gap between international commitments and lived experiences, Suminwa referred to rising demand for the mining of critical minerals that involves human rights abuses, environmental damage, and illegal resource smuggling by armed groups, including the M23.
Why do we care? By speaking at the UN General Assembly, Suminwa addressed the world’s leaders in one room. Putting the human cost of the minerals behind those targets on the agenda of the governments that set them, she is reflecting the DRC’s wider push for resource-producing countries to act as sovereign partners rather than passive suppliers in how the energy transition is governed.
Why should you care? The DRC produces over 75% of the world’s cobalt, a key mineral in electric-vehicle batteries, putting it at the centre of the green transition centre of the world’s green transition. Suminwa’s warning holds consequences beyond the DRC, as increased conflict or policy changes will impact global battery costs and availability.
Who else cares? The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has previously been accused of supporting the M23 rebels and exploiting the DRC’s resources by the President of the DRC, Félix Tshisekedi. Although Kagame has denied these allegations, UN experts have reported evidence to the Security Council of Rwandan military support for the M23, keeping the minerals trade at the centre of tensions between the neighbouring nations.
Any further comments? Whether Suminwa’s remarks will have real consequences for foreign governments and international actors will be decided by whether commitments made at forums like the UN General Assembly are matched with enforceable action.
