In April, lawyers in Paris representing the DRC stated that Apple had bought essential minerals that were unlawfully transported from the DRC to Rwanda, where they were illegally processed and then incorporated into “the global supply chain.”

Lawyer William Bourdon commented on Thursday that Apple had issued a brief response following a formal notice, which he interpreted as demonstrating “contempt, cynicism, and arrogance.”

The government’s legal team convened in the DRC capital of Kinshasa to deliberate on strategic options for the case and engage in discussions with the country’s President, Felix Tshisekedi.