President Trump's administration has escalated its campaign against the illicit mineral trade in Central Africa by sanctioning a Kigali-based gold refinery that it says sits at the heart of a sophisticated network smuggling conflict gold from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In a sweeping sanctions announcement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Gasabo Gold Refinery LTD, accusing it of working with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and elements of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) to refine and commercialize gold illegally extracted from eastern DRC.

According to the Treasury, the refinery served as the final processing point for gold transported from M23-controlled mining areas in South Kivu before entering international supply chains, turning illegally sourced minerals into market-ready bullion.

The sanctions form part of Washington's broader effort to disrupt the financing networks of M23 while supporting the implementation of the U.S.-brokered Washington Accords signed by Rwanda and the DRC in December 2025.

"The Democratic Republic of the Congo's mineral wealth rightfully belongs to the Congolese people," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, adding that the United States would continue targeting networks that profit from the illicit mineral trade.

Treasury officials describe Gasabo Gold as more than a conventional refinery. According to OFAC, once gold was extracted from mines located in M23- and RDF-controlled parts of South Kivu, Rwandan military personnel allegedly maintained oversight of the shipments until they reached the refinery in Kigali.

The gold was reportedly transported by road or air across the border through Rwanda's Rusizi District before being delivered directly to Gasabo Gold employees for immediate refining. U.S. investigators allege that the refinery effectively transformed illegally mined Congolese gold into refined products capable of entering legitimate international markets.

Treasury said that during the early months of 2026 alone, at least 60 kilograms of gold worth millions of dollars passed through the operation. The European Union had previously sanctioned Gasabo Gold over allegations that it facilitated the transport of illegally extracted gold from eastern DRC.

The sanctions also target Jean Malic Kalima, chairman of Gasabo Gold, and Bosco Kayobotsi, the refinery's general manager. According to Treasury, Kalima also controls three Rwandan mining companies—Bugambira Mines Ltd, Wolfram Mining and Processing Ltd, and Rwinkwavu Mining Corporation Ltd—all of which have now been added to the U.S. sanctions list. Washington alleges these companies formed part of a broader commercial network supporting M23's access to mineral revenues.

Under U.S. sanctions, all property and financial interests belonging to the designated entities that fall within U.S. jurisdiction are frozen, while American individuals and companies are prohibited from conducting business with them.

Unlike previous sanctions focused primarily on armed groups or military commanders, the latest measures target what U.S. authorities describe as a critical commercial link in the conflict minerals supply chain.

Rwanda has criticized the broader U.S. sanctions campaign over eastern DRC as one-sided, arguing that Washington has unfairly targeted Kigali. However, neither the Rwandan government nor Gasabo Gold Refinery had issued a separate public response specifically addressing the latest sanctions on the refinery at the time of publication.