Congo-Kinshasa

Recently, the militia group known as M23 made a surprising announcement, coinciding with a surge of violence that has tragically claimed over 700 lives within a mere few days. This escalation has not gone unnoticed; international aid organizations and human rights advocates have expressed serious concerns regarding the state of affairs in the region. In their statement, the M23 rebels cited humanitarian issues as the driving force behind their latest actions, particularly following their seizure of Goma. This city, a…

President Paul Kagame has firmly rejected the assertions made by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa concerning the turmoil in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a spirited response, Kagame accused Ramaphosa of twisting the narrative surrounding their discussions. This heated exchange comes on the heels of Goma, a strategic city, falling under the control of M23 rebels, a move that has sent shockwaves through the region. With a tone that resonated with frustration, Kagame did not pull any punches when addressing…

The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reached a boiling point, especially in the northern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. Here, the M23 group—an armed faction with a historical context of rebellion—has gone head-to-head with the Congolese army and their allies. The situation has escalated dramatically, turning lives upside down and forcing countless families to flee their homes in search of safety. Since January 2025, the echoes of gunfire in Masisi, Minova, and areas just outside Goma…

A new era is dawning in the realm of U.S.-Africa relations, and one can almost hear the gears of change grinding into motion. Yet, before we pop the confetti, it's important to note that the current administration’s policies are still taking shape, and this process won’t yield fruit overnight. Still, the impact of several Executive Orders that Donald Trump signed in the nascent days of his presidency might just reverberate across the African continent like a thunderclap in a hot, muggy summer. During his Senate confirmation…

Amid escalating violence in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations has raised a clarion call, expressing "grave concern" for the safety and security of civilians caught in the crossfire. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has reported a staggering exodus, with over 400,000 individuals displaced due to renewed hostilities between the M23 rebels and the Congolese army. That’s nearly double the figure reported just a week ago, illustrating how quickly the situation is spiraling out of…

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is on the rise across Africa, and health officials are sounding the alarm about the risks of becoming too relaxed. According to a recent update from the World Health Organization (WHO), numerous regions on the continent are grappling with outbreaks linked to several virus variants, or clades. As of December 1, 2024, WHO reported that over 13,000 cases have been confirmed in 20 distinct nations. This report sheds light on the fact that different clades have different modes of transmission. For…

Experts contend that the Congo Basin holds the title of the planet's most vital carbon sink, outpacing even the Amazon in its ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Recent discoveries of extensive peatlands hidden beneath this lush expanse have solidified this view. As global appetite for minerals surges—especially those crucial to the ongoing energy shift—the effects on the region's forests are becoming increasingly alarming. According to Earth Insight, a staggering 27% of the intact forests are now encompassed within mining…

According to reports from UN agencies, a staggering statistic reveals that one out of every four individuals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with severe hunger—a crisis that impacts approximately 25.6 million people. The ongoing turmoil in eastern DRC has thrown a wrench in crucial agricultural activities while stunting the development of necessary infrastructure. This predicament is a byproduct of evolving dynamics among various armed factions and struggles over resources, compounded by deeply…

A collaborative effort among various firms has welcomed the arrival of the initial set of 275 container wagons, designed to boost the transport capabilities of the Lobito Corridor project. This ambitious railway initiative stretches from Angola's Lobito port, reaching into the Democratic Republic of Congo and extending to Zambia. Unveiled in 2023 as part of the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, this corridor is backed by both the United States and the European Union. Once fully operational, it…

In a recent article for the Council on Foreign Relations, Michelle Gavin opines that the push to amend the constitution in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will deepen the already palpable skepticism among citizens towards their government. Since assuming the presidency in 2018 through questionable means, Felix Tshisekedi has faced significant challenges in addressing the urgent needs of the Congolese people. "A leopard doesn’t change its spots," as the saying goes, and many citizens are beginning to believe little…