Democratic Republic of the Congo

Military & Security

The Alliance for the Congo River (AFC) armed group is seeking to expand its military activity in Congo's southern Katanga region, Jeune Afrique reported Sept. 11, citing interviews with several AFC figureheads.

Congo: AFC Rebels Seeking to Expand in Cobalt-Rich Katanga Region

Angola

Rwanda

Clashes erupted between the Congolese military and Rwanda-backed M23 militants near Congo's eastern town of Kirumba despite an Aug.4 ceasefire, Reuters reported on Aug. 25.

Congo, Rwanda: Clashes Erupt Between Congolese Military and M23 Despite Ceasefire

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries a "public health emergency of international concern" (PHEIC), Reuters reported Aug. 15.

Africa: WHO Labels Africa's Mpox Outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Angolan President Joao Lourenco expressed their satisfaction with the implementation of an Aug. 4 ceasefire in eastern Congo, Radio France Internationale reported Aug. 12. 

Congo: Tshisekedi Expresses Content With Eastern Congo Ceasefire

Politics

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi accused former President Joseph Kabila of preparing an insurrection against Congolese institutions, Radio Okapi reported on Aug. 7.

Congo: Tshisekedi Accuses Former President Kabila of Preparing Insurrection  

Angola announced that it had mediated a cease-fire in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo after holding mediation talks between Congo and Rwanda, Reuters reported on July 30.

Congo, Rwanda: Angola Announces Cease-Fire in Eastern Congo 

A large number of cadres of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress Party, or UDPS, are calling for the resignation of UDPS Secretary General Augustin Kabuya, Radio France Internationale reported on July 14. 

Congo: Tensions Within Ruling UDPS Party Go Public

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo paused its withdrawal, with no timeline set for the next phase, Reuters reported on July 9.

Congo: U.N. Peacekeeping Forces Indefinitely Pause Troop Withdrawal

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Yael Braun-Pivet, a French lawmaker for the ruling Renaissance party, delivers a speech after being reelected as National Assembly president following the third round of voting on July 18, 2024.

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Israel-Hamas Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: France Resumes Political Horse-Trading, Blinken Returns to Middle East

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) speaks as Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (L), chair of the African Union, listens during a joint press conference following the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in Goyang, South Korea, on June 4, 2024.

Energy

A recent summit highlights South Korea's commitment to expanding its role in Africa as Yoon looks to strengthen his country's technological future and geopolitical influence.

In South Korea, Yoon's Desire for Supply Chains and Prestige Points to Africa

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his wife, Begona Gomez, arrive Oct. 5, 2023, at the Carlos V Palace at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Sanchez is expected to make an announcement about his political future on April 29 following his surprise decision April 25 to suspend public appearances after a court in Madrid announced an investigation into his wife for alleged influence-peddling and corruption.

The Weekly Rundown: South American Foreign Ministers Visit China, the Spanish Premier Announces His Political Future

Congolese soldiers sit in a military vehicle in Kamanyola, a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Feb. 28, 2024. 

The intensifying fight against M23 rebels in eastern Congo risks triggering border clashes with Rwanda that could threaten Congolese President Tshisekedi's government and risk disrupting Congo's cobalt exports.

Where Is the Conflict in Eastern Congo Headed?

Senegal

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Germany

Displaced Palestinians camp near the fence separating the Gaza Strip from Egypt on Feb. 16, 2024, in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Egypt will continue to prepare a contingency plan in case Palestinians cross the Egypt-Gaza border amid growing signs that the Rafah offensive could start as early as this week.

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Egypt Plans for a Palestinian Influx, African Union Heads of State Meet

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A man holds a handout in support of Chile’s proposed new constitution on Dec. 6, 2023, in Santiago.

The Weekly Rundown: A Japan-ASEAN Summit, Constitutional Referendums in Chile and Chad

Supporters of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's ruling Sacred Union coalition gather at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa on April 29, 2023.

Amid instability in the east, election interference and disunity, the Congo's opposition parties will struggle to gain a foothold during the country's December general elections.

In Congo, President Tshisekedi Looks to Secure a Second Term

Netherlands

The presidential candidate for the Union por la Patria party, Sergio Massa (R), speaks next to the presidential candidate for the La Libertad Avanza party, Javier Milei, on Nov. 12, 2023, during a presidential debate in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentina will hold the second round of its presidential election Nov. 19.

The Weekly Rundown: Argentina's Presidential Runoff, the Registration Deadline for the Taiwanese Presidential Race

Sub-Saharan Africa

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Republic of the Congo

People holding Gabon national flags celebrate in Libreville on August 30, 2023, after a group of military officers announced they were ''putting an end'' to President Ali Bongo Ondimba's regime. 

Rampant insecurity could precipitate the collapse of more Sahelian governments, while succession crises and patronage politics could do the same for Central Africa's dynastic leaders.

Assessing the Risk of Future African Coups, Part 1: The Sahel and Central Africa

Greece

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Russian President Vladimir Putin (C), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hold talks Oct. 31, 2022, in Sochi, Russia.

The Weekly Rundown: Armenia's and Azerbaijan's Leaders Meet in Moscow, an APEC Summit in Detroit

M23 fighters guard the area during a meeting between the rebel group and East African Regional Force (EACRF) officials at the Rumangabo camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Jan. 6, 2023.

The latest flare-up over an alleged airspace violation increases the risk of Congolese retaliatory measures that could limit the progress of peace processes in eastern Congo.

Rwanda's Attack on a Congolese Jet Escalates Border Tensions

Columns

On Geopolitics

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Women sit under U.N.-branded cardboard boxes in Semera, Ethiopia, on Feb. 14, 2022, as they wait to be registered by the authorities at a hotel compound hosting civilians fleeing violence. 

Social Issues

GBV is often primarily seen as a women’s and human rights issue. But in sub-Saharan Africa, it is also a key constraint to stable (and democratic) governance, economic growth, and lasting peace.

The Geopolitics of Gender-Based Violence in Africa

<p>The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a massive country in Central Africa. It is bordered by the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; and the Republic of the Congo to the west. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is roughly the size of Western Europe, and much of its territory is covered by dense jungle and is difficult to navigate. Its mammoth size and position in Central Africa have long drawn interest from outsiders. From the French and Belgian imperial conquests of the Congo River in the 19th and early 20th centuries to Cold War superpower intrigue and regional wars in the post-independence period, the country has attracted more than its fair share of foreign meddling. Since independence, the country has struggled to manage its extensive territories and its ethnic and regional divisions. It can be said that under the best of circumstances, the country is weak and prone to internal cleavages. Kinshasa, the political capital, simply does not have the resources to exercise a monopoly on force. By extension, the country&#39;s infrastructure remains woefully underdeveloped. Instead, the decades since independence have seen countless rebellions and other forms of insurrection in Katanga and other regions. Given this instability, the country&#39;s deep pockets of natural resources and its security vacuums have made it an attractive place for neighboring states and foreign powers to intrude. In regional terms, this has included Rwanda, Uganda and many other states over the years, and the United States and the Soviet Union fought for influence there after 1960. Additionally, the U.N. presence in the Congo is one of the longest-running operations for the international organization, tracing its origins back to 1960. The country&#39;s unwieldy size and difficult terrain profoundly constrain any movement beyond its status as a failed state. As such, it will remain a source of interest and concern for states near and far for many years to come.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Congo: AFC Rebels Seeking to Expand in Cobalt-Rich Katanga Region

Congo, Rwanda: Clashes Erupt Between Congolese Military and M23 Despite Ceasefire

Africa: WHO Labels Africa's Mpox Outbreak a Global Public Health Emergency

Congo: Tshisekedi Expresses Content With Eastern Congo Ceasefire

Congo: Tshisekedi Accuses Former President Kabila of Preparing Insurrection

Congo, Rwanda: Angola Announces Cease-Fire in Eastern Congo

Congo: Tensions Within Ruling UDPS Party Go Public

Congo: U.N. Peacekeeping Forces Indefinitely Pause Troop Withdrawal

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