US President Donald Trump is set to name his daughter’s father-in-law as his special envoy for the Great Lakes region in East Africa, according to two people familiar with the plans. It comes as DR Congo, which is in the grip of one of Africa’s biggest conflicts, looks to strike a critical minerals deal with Washington.

Lebanon-born businessman Massad Boulos, whose son Michael is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany, was appointed as Trump’s senior adviser for Arab Affairs in December. Boulos, who worked in his family’s Nigeria-based motor vehicle distribution company early in his career, is expected to receive security and diplomatic clearances as early as this week and could visit the Congolese capital Kinshasa and Rwanda’s capital Kigali later this month, said one of the people.

The White House did not respond to enquiries ahead of publication.