Democratic Republic of Congo
Focusing on M23 allows ADF insurgents to expand in eastern DRC
The capture of Goma and Bukavu by the M23 early this year has put further strain on the DRC's already weak national army, creating a security vacuum that the ADF has exploited to expand its operations
Why bartering Africa’s minerals for security is a bad idea
A US-brokered peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda binds the two nations in a worrying arrangement: one where a country signs away its mineral resources to a superpower in return for vague promises of security
Four things every peace treaty needs, and how the DRC–Rwanda deal measures up
One agreement is rarely enough to resolve a complex conflict; deals are often part of a series, sometimes between different actors. They often refer to previously concluded ones, and will be referred to by subsequent ones
Will the US-brokered deal between Rwanda and DRC will pave the way for peace?
Any peace efforts must acknowledge the political nature of the crisis in eastern DRC, including the consequences of the failed power-sharing agreement between Kabila and Tshisekedi
What are the chances of success for the US-brokered peace deal signed by DRC and Rwanda?
On 27 June 2025, the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed a new peace agreement under the auspices of the United States
M23 rebels targeted civilians in Goma, HRW says
The absence of reports of fighting between the warring parties and the nature of the wounds indicate that M23 fighters deliberately executed those in their custody, says HRW
The interests at the heart of Uganda’s involvement in eastern DRC
Uganda's ambiguous and often tumultuous relations with DR Congo have made headlines recently, with the UN last month accusing security officials of actively supporting the M23 rebel group
Rwanda genocide: why Tutsis remain at the centre of eastern DRC conflict 30 years on
Governments in both Kigali and Kinshasa continue to play their part in subverting reconciliation to end tensions and conflicts in the east of the DRC triggered by the 1994 Rwandan genocide
DRC’s anger at West over M23 justified, but government failings understated
Anti-Western protests in Kinshasa over the war in eastern DRC allow the government to blame the West after five years of limited progress, at best, in resolving the crisisMore Democratic Republic of Congo
Setting aside regional rivalries would go a long way to neutering the ADF
ADF's recent attacks highlight how regional rivalries in the Congo-Uganda-Rwanda borderlands provide the group with oxygen to survive and grow
DRC elections: three factors that have shaped Tshisekedi’s rocky first term
While Tshisekedi can claim some successes, including the DRC's accession to the EAC and modest economic growth, much remains to be done to improve the lives of Congo's people
Somalia’s accession to the EAC: has it been too far, too fast?
The depth of Somalia's security problems raises critical questions about the EAC's willingness and ability to ensure peace, security, and regional stability
DRC elections: Kabila’s legacy hangs over country’s vote
Former president Joseph Kabila remains a strong presence in Congo's institutions — and that power will assert itself divisively if he decides to back a candidate ahead of the country's December elections
Africa’s escalating peacekeeping crisis
The premature withdrawal of peacekeepers from the DRC, Mali, and Somalia will exacerbate instability in Africa's most volatile regions
DRC is set to join the East African Community: what’s in it for everyone?
In February, East African Community ministers recommended the Democratic Republic of Congo's admission. The decision is set to be formalised by the bloc's presidents on 29 March
US sanctions Ugandan refinery over illicit gold trade
The United States has sanctioned a network of companies controlled by Alain Goetz, a Belgian businessman who owns a gold refinery in Uganda, for participating in the illicit trade of gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Uganda vaccine trial puts African scientists at forefront of Ebola research
Researchers from Epicentre, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Mbarara University of Science and Technology and the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene last week started a new Ebola vaccine trial in Uganda
UN report links Uganda to smuggled DRC gold, says exports are underdeclared
Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi are the main transit routes of gold smuggled from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to Dubai, according to a new United Nations report
Venezuelan gold behind Uganda’s best ever monthly exports
In March, Uganda's merchandise exports surged to $604.4mn from $296.3mn in the previous month, driven by a jump in gold exports to their highest level ever
