The United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have suspended discussions on their strategic partnership in mining, trade, and mineral processing as the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus continues to spread across the country.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak is expanding at an alarming rate, with the hardest-hit area being Ituri Province. The virus has also spread to North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, and Haut-Uélé provinces.
The DRC Ministry of Health reported that, as of July 13, 2026, a total of 2,011 Ebola cases had been confirmed. Of these, 754 people have died, while 366 have recovered.
The United States has expressed growing concern over the escalating outbreak and has advised its citizens against traveling to the DRC for any reason. American authorities also announced that anyone returning from the country must first complete a 21-day quarantine in a third country before being allowed to travel to Washington.
In December 2025, the United States and the DRC signed a mineral cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening collaboration in the exploration, extraction, trade, and processing of critical minerals. The two countries had planned follow-up negotiations, including geological assessments of deposits containing strategic minerals such as cobalt and coltan, as well as discussions involving prospective investors and mining companies.
Those meetings were scheduled to take place alternately in Kinshasa and Washington, D.C. However, the Ebola outbreak has significantly complicated travel arrangements, as delegates from the DRC are now required to undergo a 21-day quarantine before entering the United States. U.S. officials and business representatives have also expressed concerns about the risk of exposure to the virus.
A diplomat told Reuters that the health crisis has delayed implementation of the bilateral minerals agreement, noting that several key meetings have already been postponed.
The diplomat said that talks scheduled for June 2026 in Washington were expected to bring together U.S. companies interested in participating in the mining partnership.
American investors and government officials later agreed to temporarily relocate negotiations to Paris, France, and Brussels, Belgium. However, sources familiar with the discussions said meetings planned for July were also postponed after several key stakeholders were unable to attend.
The U.S. Department of State emphasized that the health and safety of American citizens remain its highest priority, signaling that Washington is unwilling to expose its personnel and business representatives to the Ebola outbreak, despite the strategic importance of the DRC’s vast mineral resources.