https://geopoliticaleconomist.com/countries/drc Articles on DR Congo. en https://geopoliticaleconomist.com/assets/brand/icon-512.pnghttps://geopoliticaleconomist.com/countries/drc https://geopoliticaleconomist.com/articles/congo-cobalt-export-ban-quota-sovereignty https://geopoliticaleconomist.com/articles/congo-cobalt-export-ban-quota-sovereignty Mon, 05 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000 Camilo Flora Matsumbo This analysis examines whether the DRC’s cobalt export restrictions represent genuine resource sovereignty or primarily expanded regulatory control. It argues that the 2025 quota system largely preserved the dominance of foreign-owned producers because its base allocation relied on historical export shares. While the state gained greater discretion over export rights in 2026, the clearest fiscal benefit still comes through existing mining royalties, rather than a substantial redistribution of cobalt rents. Africa Indo-Pacific