The recent deal between Erik Prince and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reignited global debate about the role of private military companies (PMCs) in fragile states. Framed as a logistics and mineral taxation reform initiative, the agreement places Prince at the center of one of Africa’s most volatile yet resource-rich nations. Amid concerns over sovereignty and security, the move signals the latest chapter in Prince’s controversial career and reflects the broader resurgence of privatized warfare across the continent.

Erik Prince, founder of the controversial Blackwater, has been a key and divisive figure in private security and armed conflict. His career trajectory reveals not only the transformation of warfare into a privatized enterprise but also the risks of outsourcing state functions to corporate interests. Established in 1995, it quickly rose to prominence during the U.S. military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. At a time when the U.S. Department of Defense was overstretched, Prince offered a solution: a private army capable of protecting diplomats, embassies, and assets in war zones. One of his most notable early contracts was a $21 million deal in 2003 to protect Ambassador Paul Bremer in Iraq. He also secured a $92 million contract with the CIA for paramilitary support providing training, logistics, and assistance with covert operations. This also included drone targeting, rendition missions, and training foreign assets. This contract marked one of the first confirmed links between Blackwater and the CIA’s controversial targeted-killing program.

However, Blackwater soon became notorious for its excessive use of force and lack of accountability. The

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