Coltan linked to conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has likely entered the European Union market through international commodities trader Traxys, a Global Witness investigation has revealed.
The report found that Traxys, a multibillion-dollar company based in Luxembourg, bought at least 280 tonnes of coltan from Rwanda in 2024, with evidence suggesting a significant proportion is connected to the war in eastern DRC.
The report is based on customs data and testimony from two smugglers and sources in government, civil society and the mining sector.
The main mines exploiting coltan in the Great Lakes region of central Africa are found in the Rubaya area of eastern DRC.
In February, Rwandan-backed armed group M23 conquered the region, occupying Goma in North Kivu, the largest city in eastern DRC, and Bukavu, a city of more than 1 million and the capital of South Kivu province, just weeks later.
DRC: South Kivu governor confirms Congo’s M23 rebels are in Bukavu city
Illegal trade
“Our investigation strongly suggests that conflict coltan from the DRC smuggled to Rwanda has entered the EU,” Alex Kopp, senior campaigner at Global Witness, said in a statement shared with RFI.
African Panther has also denied the presence of smuggled coltan from Rubaya in its supply chain.
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