Key Minerals of the African Continent: Congo (Kinshasa) Exports to the United States Surge Dramatically Due to Abundant Critical Minerals

As of July 2025, exports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the United States reached a record high of $1.3 billion

¬ From January to July 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) exported nearly $1.3 billion to the United States, surpassing the total of the previous eight years

¬ This surge coincides with a sharp increase in demand for African raw materials in the United States and rising Sino-US trade tensions, leading to an increase in direct shipments from the DRC

¬ The export boom pushed the U.S. trade deficit with the Democratic Republic of the Congo over $1 billion in July, compared to $96 million in 2024

Government data show that the Democratic Republic of the Congo's exports to the United States in the first seven months of 2025 reached unprecedented levels. Local media Bankable reported that the total was nearly $1.3 billion, exceeding the peaks of $605.6 million in 2011 and $400.7 million in 1985.

Export growth concentrated between April and July, with exports exceeding $1 billion during these months. In June alone, it approached $400 million, setting a new monthly record.

The U.S. Census Bureau did not provide an explanation for this surge. However, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) attributed the growth to strong demand for African goods in the United States and the trade shift effect.

The escalation of Sino-US trade tensions seems to reinforce this view. In April 2025, the U.S. imposed tariffs on Chinese goods at 145%, while the average tariff remains at 57.6% currently. Companies that previously exported minerals from the DRC to China for processing have now redirected their shipments directly to the United States.

Preferential Tariffs and Commodity Prices

The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces an average tariff of 11% in the United States, while major export products such as copper can be imported duty-free. Rising commodity prices also support exports, with gold prices increasing by more than 60%, and coffee almost doubling in price from January 2024 to July 2025.

By July 2025, the U.S. trade deficit with the Democratic Republic of the Congo will expand to over $1 billion, compared to $96 million in 2024. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expired on September 30, is expected to have limited impact on this trend.

Source: ecofinagency

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845374010541066/

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