The DRC-Erik Prince agreement, first broken by Reuters, was reached before a major rebel offensive in early 2025. It centres on tightening tax collection and cracking down on cross-border smuggling – particularly in the copper and cobalt-rich south. Prince’s advisers are expected to focus on these areas, steering clear of the eastern Kivu regions destabilised by M23 rebels.

This initiative forms part of broader, ongoing talks between Kinshasa and Washington about a minerals-for-security arrangement. However, the US has yet to clarify what role, if any, it would play on the ground. Prince’s involvement could prove sensitive: while his remit is ostensibly limited to tax and logistics, his long history with private military operations raises questions about the blurred lines between security and state functions in fragile regions.