Erik Prince and Romanian mercenaries – how DRC’s Tshisekedi outsourced the war on M23
According to a new investigation by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Romanian military contractors, Israeli military trainers and companies run by Erik Prince backed the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo as M23 closed in on Goma in January 2025. The report, ‘Violence for Sale’, says Prince secured a multimillion-dollar Congolese government contract, and that Prince-linked contractors later supported Congolese forces with drone surveillance and technical assistance.
Why it matters: It illustrates the conflict theme, showing how the DRC’s outsourcing of war to private military companies is tied to mineral resource control.