US sanctions Rwandan gold refinery Gasabo Gold for supporting M23 rebels

On 25 June 2026 the United States announced sanctions against networks that smuggle conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo to fund the M23 rebel group. The State Department named two individuals and four entities, including the Rwandan‑based Gasabo Gold Refinery Ltd and its president Jean Malic Kalima, as well as three Rwandan mining firms. The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added that Gasabo Gold has become a “key partner” for Rwanda and the M23 in the supply, transport and refining of gold extracted in eastern DRC, noting that at least 60 kg of gold—worth millions of dollars—was moved to the refinery after the rebel capture of provincial capitals. The sanctions cite involvement of Rwandan security forces and M23 combatants in moving the gold to Kigali and designate the companies under Executive Order 13413 for providing material support to armed groups that threaten peace and stability in the DRC. The United States linked the measures to its broader effort to enforce the Washington Accords for peace and prosperity in the Great Lakes region.