Leader of crisis-hit DR Congo to meet Trump Africa advisor

 

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who is battling anti-government forces in the east, is due Thursday to meet visiting businessman Massad Boulos, an associate of US President Donald Trump and senior advisor for Africa, the presidency said.

The Democratic Republic of Congo's mineral- and resource-rich east has been plagued by three decades of deadly conflict, which has escalated in recent months.

Fighters of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group took control of the city of Goma, capital of North Kivu province, at the end of January, followed weeks later by the capital of neighboring South Kivu, Bukavu.

Boulos, a Lebanese-born American whose son is married to Trump's daughter Tiffany, was recently named to a new role of senior advisor for Africa, in addition to his existing role of senior advisor to the president on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs.

"Massad Boulos arrived yesterday evening (Wednesday) in Kinshasa. A meeting with President Felix Tshisekedi is planned for Thursday" at the presidential offices in the capital, presidency spokesman Giscard Kusema told AFP.

The US state department said on Tuesday that the visit was "to advance efforts for durable peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and to promote US private sector investment in the region".

According to several diplomatic sources, the issue of "mining interests" is due to be among the subjects discussed.

Boulos is also set to meet business leaders.

Tshisekedi in recent weeks has spoken in the media about talks on a possible mining deal with the United States but did not say if other issues in return, including on security, were under discussion.

The DRC's enormous mineral reserves are critical to global supplies of lithium and cobalt, used in cell batteries and electric vehicles, tantalum, tin and gold in electronic devices, and copper for power lines and uranium.

Boulos is also due to visit Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda