Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Military & Security

Politics

The Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebel coalition unilaterally declared that it would abide by a ceasefire with Congolese forces and their allies in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo from Feb. 4, citing humanitarian reasons and added that the group was not seeking to seize Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu, Reuters reported Feb. 3.

Congo: AFC/M23 Unilaterally Announces Ceasefire Ahead of Tshisekedi-Kagame Meeting

Burundi

South Africa

Uganda

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye warned against a regionalization of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and accused Rwanda of "preparing something" against Burundi, Radio France Internationale reported on Feb. 2. 

Congo: Burundi Warns of Regional War as South African Forces Languish, Uganda Deploys Troops

South African Defense Minister Angie Motshekga said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had warned Rwandan President Paul Kagame that further fatalities among South African forces deployed to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo would be tantamount to a "declaration of war" and require Pretoria to "defend our people," the Financial Times reported on Jan. 30.

South Africa: Defense Minister Warns Rwanda Against More South African Troop Deaths in Congo

The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group progressed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern South Kivu province to the town Nyabibwe, located around 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the outskirts of the provincial capital Bukavu, Le Potentiel reported on Jan. 30. 

Congo: EAC Calls for Direct Talks With M23 Amid Rebels Gains, Uganda Adopts 'Forward Defensive Posture'

In an address to the nation, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi said the Congolese military would deliver a "vigorous" response to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group following its seizure of Goma, which he said was paving the way for an "escalation endangering the entire Great Lakes region," Radio Okapi reported on Jan. 30.

Congo: Tshisekedi Vows Counteroffensive Against M23 as SADC Mulls Troop Withdrawal

The M23, a Rwandan-backed rebel group active in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, established control over most of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, and began moving toward Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu, Reuters reported on Jan. 29.

Congo, Rwanda: M23 Gains Ground as AFC Vows To March on Kinshasa, Remove Tshisekedi 

Protestors attacked the embassies of the United States, France, Belgium, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group's offensive on the eastern city of Goma, Reuters reported on Jan. 28.

Congo: Multiples Embassies and Shops Looted in Kinshasa, M23 Seized Goma Airport

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposed to mediate the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda during a meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the Daily Sabah reported on Jan. 24.

Congo, Rwanda: Turkey Offers To Mediate Conflict as Fighting Escalates

Assessments

Canada

Mexico

United States

Israel

United Kingdom

Trucks wait to enter United States on Nov. 26, 2024, at the Otay crossing port in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico.

Economics

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: Trump's Tariffs, Congo Braces for More Fighting in the East

A member of the M23 armed group walks alongside residents through a neighborhood in Goma, eastern Congo, on Jan. 27, 2025. 

The M23's entry into the eastern city will give Tshisekedi little choice but to engage in politically risky talks with the Rwanda-backed rebel group, or allow the conflict to expand and escalate.

M23 Advances in Goma Put Congo's President in a Tight Spot

South Sudan

Central African Republic

Mozambique

A Rwandan soldier walks in front of a burned truck near Palma in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region on Sept. 22, 2021. 

Rwanda’s expanding troop deployments in other African countries seek to enhance its regional political and economic influence, but entail risks that could harm its operations and reputation.

Rwanda's Growing Military Influence in Africa: Opportunities and Risks

Media

Podcasts

What is the future trajectory of the peace process?

Essential Geopolitics: Implications of Cancelled Peace Talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

South Korea

Germany

Russia

A sign reading ''leader of insurgents'' on a photo of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's face is held up during a protest calling for Yoon's ouster in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 8, 2024. 

The Weekly Rundown: Putin's Annual Press Conference, Another Impeachment Vote in South Korea

Angola

Tanzania

Zambia

China

Marshall Islands

Palau

Taiwan

Tuvalu

Sri Lanka

U.S. President Joe Biden and President Joao Lourenco of Angola on Nov. 30, 2023, at the White House. Biden on Dec. 2-4 will visit Angola, where he will focus on the Lobito Corridor project that aims to refurbish and expand railways connecting critical mineral-rich regions in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo with the Angolan port of Lobito.

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Biden Visits Angola, von der Leyen's Second Term

Workers move batches of copper sheets on July 6, 2016, in Mufulira, Zambia. Zambia's copper output will likely steadily increase by the late 2020s on the back of a more stable tax environment and a global rush for critical minerals, but the country faces an uphill battle to meet its 2032 copper production target.

Zambia's copper output will likely steadily increase by the late 2020s on the back of a more stable tax environment and a global rush for critical minerals, but the country faces an uphill battle to meet its 2032 copper production target.

Zambia Banks on the Green Rush for Copper 

Botswana

Comoros

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius

Namibia

Seychelles

Eswatini

Zimbabwe

Egypt

Iran

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Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Vietnam

France

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.

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

Snapshots

Ethiopia

Ghana

Kenya

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

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

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

Argentina

Bolivia

Peru

Spain

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

Europe

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.

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

<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/M23 Unilaterally Announces Ceasefire Ahead of Tshisekedi-Kagame Meeting

Congo: Burundi Warns of Regional War as South African Forces Languish, Uganda Deploys Troops

South Africa: Defense Minister Warns Rwanda Against More South African Troop Deaths in Congo

Congo: EAC Calls for Direct Talks With M23 Amid Rebels Gains, Uganda Adopts 'Forward Defensive Posture'

Congo: Tshisekedi Vows Counteroffensive Against M23 as SADC Mulls Troop Withdrawal

Congo, Rwanda: M23 Gains Ground as AFC Vows To March on Kinshasa, Remove Tshisekedi

Congo: Multiples Embassies and Shops Looted in Kinshasa, M23 Seized Goma Airport

Congo, Rwanda: Turkey Offers To Mediate Conflict as Fighting Escalates

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