Resource Sovereignty, Regional Security, and Political Economy of Violence in Eastern DRC

Abstract

The conflict in the eastern part of the DRC has been recognised as a result of failed interventions and compromised sovereignty; therefore, it requires an integrated analysis to understand the complex relationship among resource management, regional security, and historical narrative. The research methodology used for this study is qualitative, employing interpretive analysis of journals, United Nations Group of Experts Reports, MONUSCO Reports, International Crisis Group Reports, and an audit of the mineral supply chain from 2000 to 2025. The analysis has revealed that the conflict in the region is not a result of the minerals; however, conflict has been institutionalised in the region with the complex relationship between compromised sovereignty, regional security, and historical narrative on the management of resources, which is evident with the resurgence of M23 rebellion; therefore, it is clear that a regional security complex is present in the region. Recent interventions, including the Luanda Process, the Nairobi Process, and the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), reveal the formation of a new security complex in the region. However, the failure of these interventions also reflects the lingering trust deficit among the regions. The humanitarian consequences of the political economy of violence are significant, as instability in the Goma region reveals. The study concludes that, for stabilisation to be achieved, there is a need to reclaim resource sovereignty through mineral governance that is both transparent and accountable, as well as through regional diplomacy and security assurances to address inter-state insecurity and reorganise the underlying politics of conflict.