Democratic Republic Of Congo

Bisimwa emphasised that Kabila, like any other Congolese citizen, has the right to associate with opposition movements and should be respected for his past leadership, despite the controversies surrounding him.

Further, the AFC maintained that before M23 took control of Goma, the city was plagued by severe insecurity and humanitarian crises, with civilians trapped in displacement camps and used as human shields by the government.

Prosecutors claim there is a “substantial body of documents, testimony and material facts” linking him to M23, an armed group that has seized several towns in the mineral-rich eastern region.

According to United Nations estimates, Rubaya alone accounts for more than 15 per cent of the world's tantalum supply.

He allegedly colluded with former DRC Central Bank Governor Deogratias Mutombo to illegally divert funds set aside for an agricultural project aimed at addressing the country's chronic food shortages.

The agency is calling for immediate and coordinated action from local, national, and international partners to address what it describes as the most serious hunger emergency the DRC has ever faced.

While the AU-backed Luanda process, launched in 2022 and previously spearheaded by Angolan President João Lourenço, remains formally in place, it is unclear whether the mediation track will now shift to Lomé following Gnassingbé's appointment.

Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo responded by blaming the Congolese government for destabilising the area through support of armed groups and breaking peace agreements.

ActionAid says the dismantling of these camps by armed groups has increased the risks faced by women and girls, who are often sent back to dangerous areas controlled by militias, where they face further violence, rape, and forced marriage.

Local officials said the Kasaba area was only accessible via Lake Tanganyika and was not covered by the mobile phone network, which could delay humanitarian relief efforts.

The decision highlights tensions over resource control in Congo's mineral-rich eastern regions, where M23 rebel advances have placed strategic mining assets under new administration.

Civilians are caught in a devastating humanitarian crisis involving sexual and gender-based violence. This kind of violence not only contributes to forced displacement, but displaced women are also more at risk of gender-based violence during times of ongoing fighting.

President Felix Tshisekedi and Kabila formed an awkward power-sharing deal following Congo's disputed 2018 election. But Tshisekedi later accused his predecessor of blocking reforms.

In statements released after last month's talks, both sides committed to ending acts of violence and hate speech and called on the Congolese people to support a ceasefire and help create a constructive environment for dialogue.

Boulos said the plan was for Rubio to meet in mid-May in Washington with his Rwandan and Congolese counterparts to agree on a final draft peace accord.

DRC said on Friday that it had become the latest African country to grant a license to Starlink, reversing an earlier ban.

Virtually all banks are closed. Currency shortages abound. With supply chains disrupted, prices of some staples have jumped.

These doses will primarily target the worst-affected areas, particularly focusing on at-risk populations affected by regional displacements due to security challenges.

Many had little choice after M23 dismantled displacement camps upon seizing Goma, eastern DR Congo's largest city, in late January.

The phased withdrawal, which began on April 29, 2025, marks the conclusion of a mission launched in December 2023 to stabilise and restore peace in one of Africa’s most volatile zones.

The exit of the soldiers comes a day after the SADC mission began its exit from Goma, a move that began quietly early Tuesday morning before it was confirmed by officials.

SAMIDRC was deployed on December 15, 2023, to support the DRC government in restoring peace and stability in the eastern region, following the withdrawal of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF).

It raises hopes that the latest cycle of violence in a decades-long conflict rooted in the Rwandan genocide might ease, with both countries hoping to attract significant US investments in minerals.

The nurse based at Masisi General Referral Hospital is the second MSF staff member to be killed in Masisi town in the past two months and the third to be fatally shot in North Kivu this year.

Douglas Dunia Masumbuko, the M23-appointed South Kivu governor, told Reuters on Thursday that the death toll at the Luhihi mine had reached 10 "and could rise given the number of injuries."

Each side released the same statement separately after their delegations departed Qatar earlier in the week, following more than a week of discussions.

Of Kinshasa’s two flood risks, the impact of Congo River flooding can be observed in large cities located along major rivers, and typically peaks around January.

The interior ministry announced that activities of the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), which Kabila still leads, are "suspended across all the national territory."

The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River

Sources revealed that Kabila travelled through Kigali, Rwanda, before reaching Goma. The former president, who has been officially residing between Zimbabwe and South Africa since 2023, had earlier announced his return to the DRC.

Local rains combined with runoff from torrential rains coming from neighbouring Congo Central Province quickly overwhelmed the city’s small urban tributaries. The Ndjili River and its tributary (Lukaya), which run through the city, overflowed and flooded homes on either side.

In recent weeks, heavy rains caused River Rugumba to overflow, flooding large parts of the Kalemie and Nyunzu territories. The water destroyed homes, schools and farmlands, forcing many to flee with nothing.

The toll from the clashes was not immediately clear. A government statement on Saturday night said 52 people had been killed in and around Goma, though the figure could not be independently verified.

With M23 advancing militarily, civilians bearing the brunt, and rival mediation tracks emerging, the question is no longer who leads the talks — but whether Africa can truly own its peace.

Members of both delegations confirmed their presence in the Qatari capital and said there was a face-to-face meeting on Wednesday, but they were still discussing the framework for talks.

The UN system, in partnership with countries affected, needs to get ahead of the game, facilitating solutions for displaced persons while working to prevent displacement wherever possible, Mazou said, underscoring the importance of scaling up humanitarian support for those repatriated.

Joseph Szlavik-Soto, a lobbyist working for Kinshasa, said the Congolese had also agreed to pay for the damage caused by protesters who attacked the US embassy and other missions earlier this year.

The deaths represent a major loss for the park, which has been working to increase the number of hippos in recent decades after poaching and war reduced the population from over 20,000 to a few hundred by 2006. The park now holds about 1,200 hippos.

The rainfall began late Friday and continued through Saturday morning, leaving major transport routes impassable.

All seven active-duty personnel, including two non-commissioned officers and five professional soldiers, took parental leave between 2023 and 2025. During this period, they engaged in security operations for Romanian private military companies operating in the DRC.

The fighting has raised fears of a wider regional war, as Congo's neighbours, Uganda and Burundi, also have troops in the region.

M23 has seized eastern Congo's two largest cities in a swift advance since January that has resulted in thousands of deaths and forced hundreds of thousands more from their homes.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, which has vast reserves of cobalt, lithium and uranium, among other minerals, has been fighting M23 rebels who have seized swathes of its territory this year.

The Americans were among some 50 people, including US, British, Canadian, Belgian and Congolese citizens, who stood trial last year following the botched attempt to overthrow the government in May.

The formation of the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR) by Thomas Lubanga comes as Congo's army faces an unprecedented advance by M23 rebels elsewhere in eastern Congo.

Qatar hosted a second round of talks between the two countries beginning on Friday and met separately with M23 representatives. Congolese officials and M23 have not yet met, sources said.

The International Criminal Court secured its first conviction against Lubanga in 2012 on charges of recruiting child soldiers and sentenced him to 14 years in prison.

The plane, which was reportedly expected to land at Kavumu Airport in Bukavu to transport Red Cross International staff to Entebbe, came under attack as it approached its destination.

Congolese and Rwandan officials held talks on Friday, while M23 representatives met separately with Qatari mediators, said two sources from the Congolese government and two from the rebels.

The experts warned that children are increasingly becoming victims of indiscriminate attacks, sexual violence, and recruitment by armed groups amid the worsening conflict.

AFC/M23 will also coordinate the freedom of movement for the withdrawing troops according to the agreed principles.