As Washington and Beijing compete for Congo’s critical minerals, the country’s legal market is becoming a key player in a global strategic contest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) holds around 70% of the global supply of cobalt (source), a crucial mineral producing lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and smartphones, amongst other electronics. No surprise then that the country has become a focal point for international investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whilst Chinese actors have long been dominant<\/a>, my discussions with leading lawyers in the DRC revealed that the significant trend now is the arrival of American investors, most notably in the mining sector. These investors are particularly interested in the Copperbelt region, sitting in southeast of the country, in the Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces. It is here that the copper and cobalt minerals are mined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Key projects are the Kamoa-Kakula copper project, which recorded an annual revenue in 2025 of USD3.28 billion<\/a>, and the copper-cobalt Tenke Fungurume mines, which since its launch in 2006 has contributed a cumulative USD 8.257 billion<\/a> to the Congolese economy. Of particular geographical importance are the cities of Lubumbashi, the second largest in the country, and Kolwezi, the capital of the Lualaba Province, which often serve as the second office of several law firms, including those top ranked<\/a> by Chambers, notably Etude Kabinda Avocats<\/a><\/em> and MBM Conseil<\/a> <\/em>in Lubumbashi and DALDEWOLF<\/em><\/a> in Kolwezi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is driving this newfound American presence? In 2025, the Trump administration led peace talks between the DRC and neighbouring Rwanda, backing this up with investment deals in the two countries, notably the DRC<\/a>. This follows a similar deal in Ukraine in the same year, where an agreement<\/a> between the two countries led to the US\u2019 share in revenues from Ukraine\u2019s critical mineral reserves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Whilst lawyers note China had long operated a so-called \u201cminerals for infrastructure\u201d policy in DRC, the American \u201cminerals for peace\u201d plan plays counterpart to this, with the two countries fighting over the extraction of minerals from Congolese mines and driving investment into the country to fund mining projects. One of the stakeholders in the Kamoa-Kakula joint venture project, for example, is the Chinese company Zijin Mining Group<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps the most well-known mining infrastructure projects, however, is that of the Lobito Corridor. This transport route of over a thousand kilometres links the Angolan port of Lobito, on the Atlantic Coast, to the Copperbelt regions in the DRC and Zambia. This project is a prime example of the changing Sino-American investment presence into the DRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Foreign investment into this project is well established, with one of the earliest and most significant financing package dating back to 2015, where the Chinese government funded and conducted an almost USD2 billion contract<\/a>. But a more recent key financial driver came from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, who in late 2025 provided a USD553 million loan<\/a>, reflecting the strategic positioning of the country within the Congolese mining production systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who are the key Chinese law firms present in this new legal landscape? Of particular note are JunHe and DeHeng Law Offices, both headquartered in Beijing. Both have been developing client portfolios in this sector for over 5 years<\/a>, acting notably in M&A and project finance transactions. Amongst international law firms, the Hong Kong branch of Slaughter and May was active in 2025<\/a> advising the West China Cement group on a majority stake acquisition in Congolese cement manufacturer Cimenterie de Lukala from Germany-based Heidelberg Materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Though too early to conclude for certain which national and international law firms mining-sector clients will gravitate towards, we can be sure that the Sino-American legal presence in the DRC is no short-term market trend. As deal sophistication and geopolitical competition grows, the country\u2019s legal market expands in parallel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether clients seek lawyers based on the ground in Kinshasha or Lubumbashi, those in key European cities like Brussels, or further afield in Asia, Chambers\u2019 market analysis will expand concurrently to ensure the best coverage, helping clients see the market with clarity and decide upon their legal counsel with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Discover the firms and lawyers shaping the legal landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n View rankings<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","categories":[],"tags":[],"publication":[],"blocks":[{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n As Washington and Beijing compete for Congo's critical minerals, the country's legal market is becoming a key player in a global strategic contest. <\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n As Washington and Beijing compete for Congo's critical minerals, the country's legal market is becoming a key player in a global strategic contest. <\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"lazyblock\/chambers-image","attrs":{"image":"%7B%22alt%22:%22%22,%22title%22:%22abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash%22,%22caption%22:%22%22,%22description%22:%7B%22raw%22:%22%22,%22rendered%22:%22%3Cp%20class=%5C%22attachment%5C%22%3E%3Ca%20href='https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-scaled.jpg'%3E%3Cimg%20width=%5C%22300%5C%22%20height=%5C%22200%5C%22%20src=%5C%22https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-300x200.jpg%5C%22%20class=%5C%22attachment-medium%20size-medium%5C%22%20alt=%5C%22%5C%22%20srcset=%5C%22https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-300x200.jpg%20300w,%20https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-1024x683.jpg%201024w,%20https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-768x512.jpg%20768w,%20https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg%201536w,%20https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg%202048w%5C%22%20sizes=%5C%22(max-width:%20300px)%20100vw,%20300px%5C%22%20\/%3E%3C\/a%3E%3C\/p%3E%5Cn%22%7D,%22id%22:30538,%22link%22:%22https:\/\/wpcms.chambers.com\/?attachment_id=30538%22,%22url%22:%22https:\/\/assets.chambers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/07144725\/abdul-basit-1O_HNWeY0O4-unsplash-scaled.jpg%22,%22sizes%22:%22%22%7D","blockId":"vb5VS","blockUniqueClass":"lazyblock-chambers-image-vb5VS"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) holds around 70% of the global supply of cobalt (source), a crucial mineral producing lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and smartphones, amongst other electronics. No surprise then that the country has become a focal point for international investment.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) holds around 70% of the global supply of cobalt (source), a crucial mineral producing lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and smartphones, amongst other electronics. No surprise then that the country has become a focal point for international investment.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Whilst Chinese actors have long been dominant<\/a>, my discussions with leading lawyers in the DRC revealed that the significant trend now is the arrival of American investors, most notably in the mining sector. These investors are particularly interested in the Copperbelt region, sitting in southeast of the country, in the Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces. It is here that the copper and cobalt minerals are mined.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Whilst Chinese actors have long been dominant<\/a>, my discussions with leading lawyers in the DRC revealed that the significant trend now is the arrival of American investors, most notably in the mining sector. These investors are particularly interested in the Copperbelt region, sitting in southeast of the country, in the Lualaba and Haut-Katanga provinces. It is here that the copper and cobalt minerals are mined.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"lazyblock\/chambers-header","attrs":{"header":"DRC critical minerals projects attract major foreign investment ","headerLevel":"2","blockId":"1bNtqp","blockUniqueClass":"lazyblock-chambers-header-1bNtqp"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Key projects are the Kamoa-Kakula copper project, which recorded an annual revenue in 2025 of USD3.28 billion<\/a>, and the copper-cobalt Tenke Fungurume mines, which since its launch in 2006 has contributed a cumulative USD 8.257 billion<\/a> to the Congolese economy. Of particular geographical importance are the cities of Lubumbashi, the second largest in the country, and Kolwezi, the capital of the Lualaba Province, which often serve as the second office of several law firms, including those top ranked<\/a> by Chambers, notably Etude Kabinda Avocats<\/a><\/em> and MBM Conseil<\/a> <\/em>in Lubumbashi and DALDEWOLF<\/em><\/a> in Kolwezi.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Key projects are the Kamoa-Kakula copper project, which recorded an annual revenue in 2025 of USD3.28 billion<\/a>, and the copper-cobalt Tenke Fungurume mines, which since its launch in 2006 has contributed a cumulative USD 8.257 billion<\/a> to the Congolese economy. Of particular geographical importance are the cities of Lubumbashi, the second largest in the country, and Kolwezi, the capital of the Lualaba Province, which often serve as the second office of several law firms, including those top ranked<\/a> by Chambers, notably Etude Kabinda Avocats<\/a><\/em> and MBM Conseil<\/a> <\/em>in Lubumbashi and DALDEWOLF<\/em><\/a> in Kolwezi.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n What is driving this newfound American presence? In 2025, the Trump administration led peace talks between the DRC and neighbouring Rwanda, backing this up with investment deals in the two countries, notably the DRC<\/a>. This follows a similar deal in Ukraine in the same year, where an agreement<\/a> between the two countries led to the US\u2019 share in revenues from Ukraine\u2019s critical mineral reserves.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n What is driving this newfound American presence? In 2025, the Trump administration led peace talks between the DRC and neighbouring Rwanda, backing this up with investment deals in the two countries, notably the DRC<\/a>. This follows a similar deal in Ukraine in the same year, where an agreement<\/a> between the two countries led to the US\u2019 share in revenues from Ukraine\u2019s critical mineral reserves.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"lazyblock\/chambers-header","attrs":{"header":"The DRC critical \u201cminerals for peace\u201d plan ","headerLevel":"2","blockId":"Z23lI37","blockUniqueClass":"lazyblock-chambers-header-Z23lI37"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Whilst lawyers note China had long operated a so-called \u201cminerals for infrastructure\u201d policy in DRC, the American \u201cminerals for peace\u201d plan plays counterpart to this, with the two countries fighting over the extraction of minerals from Congolese mines and driving investment into the country to fund mining projects. One of the stakeholders in the Kamoa-Kakula joint venture project, for example, is the Chinese company Zijin Mining Group<\/a>.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Whilst lawyers note China had long operated a so-called \u201cminerals for infrastructure\u201d policy in DRC, the American \u201cminerals for peace\u201d plan plays counterpart to this, with the two countries fighting over the extraction of minerals from Congolese mines and driving investment into the country to fund mining projects. One of the stakeholders in the Kamoa-Kakula joint venture project, for example, is the Chinese company Zijin Mining Group<\/a>.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Perhaps the most well-known mining infrastructure projects, however, is that of the Lobito Corridor. This transport route of over a thousand kilometres links the Angolan port of Lobito, on the Atlantic Coast, to the Copperbelt regions in the DRC and Zambia. This project is a prime example of the changing Sino-American investment presence into the DRC.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Perhaps the most well-known mining infrastructure projects, however, is that of the Lobito Corridor. This transport route of over a thousand kilometres links the Angolan port of Lobito, on the Atlantic Coast, to the Copperbelt regions in the DRC and Zambia. This project is a prime example of the changing Sino-American investment presence into the DRC.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"lazyblock\/chambers-header","attrs":{"header":"Congo cobalt mining and Chinese government investment ","headerLevel":"2","blockId":"Z1uLDU5","blockUniqueClass":"lazyblock-chambers-header-Z1uLDU5"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Foreign investment into this project is well established, with one of the earliest and most significant financing package dating back to 2015, where the Chinese government funded and conducted an almost USD2 billion contract<\/a>. But a more recent key financial driver came from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, who in late 2025 provided a USD553 million loan<\/a>, reflecting the strategic positioning of the country within the Congolese mining production systems.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Foreign investment into this project is well established, with one of the earliest and most significant financing package dating back to 2015, where the Chinese government funded and conducted an almost USD2 billion contract<\/a>. But a more recent key financial driver came from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, who in late 2025 provided a USD553 million loan<\/a>, reflecting the strategic positioning of the country within the Congolese mining production systems.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Who are the key Chinese law firms present in this new legal landscape? Of particular note are JunHe and DeHeng Law Offices, both headquartered in Beijing. Both have been developing client portfolios in this sector for over 5 years<\/a>, acting notably in M&A and project finance transactions. Amongst international law firms, the Hong Kong branch of Slaughter and May was active in 2025<\/a> advising the West China Cement group on a majority stake acquisition in Congolese cement manufacturer Cimenterie de Lukala from Germany-based Heidelberg Materials.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Who are the key Chinese law firms present in this new legal landscape? Of particular note are JunHe and DeHeng Law Offices, both headquartered in Beijing. Both have been developing client portfolios in this sector for over 5 years<\/a>, acting notably in M&A and project finance transactions. Amongst international law firms, the Hong Kong branch of Slaughter and May was active in 2025<\/a> advising the West China Cement group on a majority stake acquisition in Congolese cement manufacturer Cimenterie de Lukala from Germany-based Heidelberg Materials.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"lazyblock\/chambers-header","attrs":{"header":"Outlook: ongoing mineral market expansion ","headerLevel":"2","blockId":"a505I","blockUniqueClass":"lazyblock-chambers-header-a505I"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Though too early to conclude for certain which national and international law firms mining-sector clients will gravitate towards, we can be sure that the Sino-American legal presence in the DRC is no short-term market trend. As deal sophistication and geopolitical competition grows, the country\u2019s legal market expands in parallel.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Though too early to conclude for certain which national and international law firms mining-sector clients will gravitate towards, we can be sure that the Sino-American legal presence in the DRC is no short-term market trend. As deal sophistication and geopolitical competition grows, the country\u2019s legal market expands in parallel.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Whether clients seek lawyers based on the ground in Kinshasha or Lubumbashi, those in key European cities like Brussels, or further afield in Asia, Chambers\u2019 market analysis will expand concurrently to ensure the best coverage, helping clients see the market with clarity and decide upon their legal counsel with confidence.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Whether clients seek lawyers based on the ground in Kinshasha or Lubumbashi, those in key European cities like Brussels, or further afield in Asia, Chambers\u2019 market analysis will expand concurrently to ensure the best coverage, helping clients see the market with clarity and decide upon their legal counsel with confidence.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"lazyblock\/chambers-header","attrs":{"header":"Key takeaways ","headerLevel":"2","blockId":"Z14yISl","blockUniqueClass":"lazyblock-chambers-header-Z14yISl"},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/list","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n Discover the firms and lawyers shaping the legal landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n Discover the firms and lawyers shaping the legal landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.<\/p>\n"]},{"blockName":null,"attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\n","innerContent":["\n\n"]},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":[],"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n