About this episode
On this Out of the Loop , Nathan Paul Southern and Lindsey Kennedy explain the consumer decisions and corporate interests fueling conflict in Rwanda. Welcome to what we're calling our "Out of the Loop" episodes, where we dig a little deeper into fascinating current events that may only register as a blip on the media's news cycle and have conversations with the people who find themselves immersed in them. Investigative journalists Nathan Paul Southern and Lindsey Kennedy are here to help us understand why we're hearing a lot about Rwanda in recent news. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1145 On This Episode of Out of the Loop, We Discuss: The M23 militia has recently resurged in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) , taking over parts of North Kivu province and effectively controlling access to valuable mineral resources like cobalt, gold, and coltan — minerals critical for modern technology including electric vehicles and AI chips. There appears to be a connection between the UK's Rwanda refugee resettlement program (which sent hundreds of millions of pounds to Rwanda) and the reemergence of the M23 , which had previously disappeared when international aid was threatened to be cut off. The timing suggests the UK money may have indirectly funded the militia. Rwanda is allegedly stealing minerals from the DRC, bringing them across the border, and claiming they were mined in Rwanda — creating the appearance of "conflict-free" minerals that major tech companies like Apple and Tesla can claim to use, even though they ultimately come from conflict zones. The conflict has become increasingly complicated with the involvement of private military contractors from various countries, Russian interests, and American billionaires like Elon Musk and Eric Prince potentially making deals to control mineral resources in the region. Understanding these complex global connections can empower us to make more ethical consumer choices. By researching which companies prioritize truly ethical sourcing and supporting organizations that monitor conflict minerals, we can use our purchasing power to encourage corporate responsibility and transparency in global supply chains for technologies we rely on daily. And much more! Connect with Jordan on Twitter , on Instagram , and on YouTube . If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on an Out of the Loop episode, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with Nathan Paul Southern on Twitter . Connect with Lindsey Kennedy at her website and on Twitter . And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally! This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course ! Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom! Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger ! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .