Democratic Republic of the Congo

Europe

Military & Security

Politics

The European Union canceled its election observation mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to security concerns that rendered the mission "impossible," Reuters reported on Nov. 30. 

EU, Congo: Bloc Cancels Congo Election Observation Mission

Economics

A truckers' strike that started in late October is blocking exports of copper and cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's southern mining hub Kolwezi, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 7.

Congo: Truckers' Strike Suspends Copper and Cobalt Exports

The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo confirmed the candidacy of Moise Katumbi in the country's Dec. 20 presidential election, BBC News reported on Oct. 31.

Congo: Constitutional Court Clears Block to Opposition Candidate's Presidential Bid

Congolese opposition leader Martin Fayulu confirmed that he will run in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's December presidential election, Reuters reported on Sept. 30.

Congo: Opposition Leader Fayulu Confirms Presidential Run

Rwanda

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame confirmed that he will seek a fourth term in office next year, a move that would extend his presidency to nearly three decades, The East African reported on Sept. 20.

Rwanda: President Kagame Announces Fourth-term Bid

Mozambique

Leaders from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) agreed to send troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and extend the SADC deployment in Mozambique by 12 months, The East African reported on Aug. 18.

Sub-Saharan Africa: SADC Leaders Agree to Congo Deployment, Mozambique Extension

The U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) will begin an "accelerated withdrawal" according to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Reuters reported on Aug. 15.

Congo: U.N. Peacekeepers to Enter Final Phase

China

Chinese mining company CMOC Group will pay the Democratic Republic of the Congo's state-owned mining company Gecamines an $800 million settlement and at least $1.2 billion in dividends to end a year-long dispute over mining royalties at the Tenke Fungurume copper and cobalt mine, Bloomberg reported July 18.

Congo, China: Gecamines, CMOC Reach Mining Royalties Settlement

Assessments

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

Argentina

Taiwan

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.

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

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

Sub-Saharan Africa

Burkina Faso

Cameroon

Chad

Equatorial Guinea

Gabon

Mali

Niger

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

United States

Greece

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Russia

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

U.S.-China Relations

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

Snapshots

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

South Sudan

Burundi

Central African Republic

Cote d'Ivoire

Ethiopia

Kenya

Nigeria

South Africa

Sudan

Tanzania

Zimbabwe

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

Media

Podcasts

We discuss the latest flare-up of violence near the country's eastern border with Rwanda and what it means for other nearby nations. 


Essential Geopolitics: What’s Going on in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Colombia

A Chinese military vessel on Aug. 5, 2022, sails off Pingtan Island, Fujian province, one of mainland China's closest points to Taiwan. Beijing is likely to continue rolling out new methods of economic coercion against U.S. and Taiwanese companies in the coming week.

The Weekly Rundown: Colombia's President Takes Office, China Coerces Taiwan

A man holds a copper-rich piece at a mine in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo, in July 2016. 

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Tensions between the world’s largest cobalt-producing country and the Chinese firm operating one of its largest mines risk disrupting global supplies of the element, which is key to electric vehicle production.

Congo's Revenue Dispute With China Threatens Cobalt, Copper Exports

A Congolese army tank heads toward the eastern city of Goma on May 25, 2022, amid clashes with M23 rebels. 

Rwanda’s alleged support of militants active in eastern Congo will continue to undermine efforts to restore stability in the war-torn, resource-rich region.

Rwanda's Role in Congo’s Forever War

Uganda

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, speaks during the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Feb. 5, 2022.

Security

East African Integration

Congo's ports will grant the East African Community access to the Atlantic Ocean, but the country's overall poor infrastructure and security will limit the volume of trade with other bloc members. 

How Congo's EAC Membership Will Alter Trade in East Africa

Guidance

Uruguay

Bahrain

Israel

United Arab Emirates

Morocco

Pakistan

The Weekly Rundown: EU and Chinese Officials Talk Trade, Israel Hosts an Abraham Accords Summit

<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

EU, Congo: Bloc Cancels Congo Election Observation Mission

Congo: Truckers' Strike Suspends Copper and Cobalt Exports

Congo: Constitutional Court Clears Block to Opposition Candidate's Presidential Bid

Congo: Opposition Leader Fayulu Confirms Presidential Run

Rwanda: President Kagame Announces Fourth-term Bid

Sub-Saharan Africa: SADC Leaders Agree to Congo Deployment, Mozambique Extension

Congo: U.N. Peacekeepers to Enter Final Phase

Congo, China: Gecamines, CMOC Reach Mining Royalties Settlement

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