DR Congo establishes U.S.-backed copper route to Saudi Arabia and the UAE

The Democratic Republic of Congo has moved to open a new export corridor that delivers Congolese copper to Gulf buying centers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE through a venture receiving backing from U.S. interests. The commercial plan is connected to a non-binding memorandum that would transfer a roughly 40% economic stake in two major Glencore DRC assets — Mutanda Mining and Kamoto Copper Company — to an American-backed consortium known as the Orion Critical Mineral Consortium. The proposal, described at an implied combined enterprise value near $9 billion, would grant Orion rights to appoint non-executive directors and direct purchasers for the consortium’s share of output while leaving day-to-day operational control with Glencore. Orion CMC, led by Orion Resource Partners alongside U.S. public finance institutions, positions itself as a mission-focused vehicle to anchor supply-chain resilience for copper and cobalt destined for U.S. and allied markets. The initiative reframes long-standing trade flows that have been concentrated among Asian traders by creating contractual offtake channels and direct links between Congolese mines and Gulf industrial hubs. For the DRC, the arrangement could accelerate capital inflows and investment into mining assets and associated infrastructure, but it is conditional on due diligence, definitive documentation and regulatory clearances, including engagement with state partner Gécamines. Gulf purchasers would gain a more secured feed of raw material that supports regional downstream ambitions, while U.S. interests seek to reduce single-market dependencies for critical minerals. Implementation will require logistics upgrades, customs coordination, financing arrangements and clarity on pricing and offtake terms to make the new corridor commercially viable. Environmental, community and governance concerns — including revenue allocation and local content — are likely to draw scrutiny as the parties move from memorandum to binding contracts. Market effects are expected to be gradual: the deal would create a clearer Western channel for copper and cobalt without prompting immediate price shocks, but over time it could shift bargaining leverage and reshape strategic mineral supply lines.