First Independent Mena Newspaper
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the latest front in the U.S.-China rivalry, as President Donald Trump intensifies efforts to secure critical minerals needed for electric vehicles and clean energy. Backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, U.S. firm KoBold Metals recently secured seven lithium exploration permits, including access to the coveted […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces a renewed threat of conflict as peace efforts between the government and the Congo River Alliance — a coalition that includes the M23 rebels — are faltering. The insurgent group has accused the Congolese government of systematically violating ceasefire agreements and undermining Qatari-led peace talks. Under a Doha-brokered […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched an ambitious plan to reclaim monetary control by reversing decades of deep-rooted dollar dependence. Newly appointed Central Bank Governor André Wameso has placed restoring confidence in the Congolese franc (CDF) at the heart of his mandate. Today, nearly 90% of Congo’s transactions — from mineral exports to daily […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group have resumed negotiations in Qatar, aiming to revive a faltering truce signed in July. Despite the Qatari-brokered agreement, fighting has intensified in eastern Congo, particularly in North and South Kivu, displacing over two million people this year alone. Talks in Doha focus on a […]
Former President Joseph Kabila is facing the death penalty in a dramatic trial unfolding in absentia, as Congo’s military prosecutor accuses him of treason, war crimes, and backing the Rwanda-aligned M23 rebel group that has overrun eastern regions of the country. Kabila, who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 2001 to 2019, is […]
Despite “significant efforts” by Qatari mediators, peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and M23 rebels have missed key deadlines, as violence intensifies across eastern regions. A draft peace agreement — based on a Declaration of Principles signed in Doha on 19 July — was shared with both sides, according to a […]
The United Nations has confirmed that at least 319 civilians — including 48 women and 19 children — were brutally killed by M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between 9 and 21 July, marking one of the deadliest episodes since the group’s resurgence in 2022. According to UN Human Rights Chief Volker […]
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are set to make continental football history as the first countries to jointly host the African Nations Championship (c), with the tournament kicking off Saturday in Dar es Salaam. The 19-team competition, running through August 30, represents a milestone in regional cooperation and serves as preparation for the 2027 Africa Cup […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become the latest battleground in a deepening strategic rivalry between the United States and China over control of critical minerals, as a new US-brokered peace deal with Rwanda raises both hope and concern. Signed in June 2025, the agreement aims to end decades of conflict between the DRC […]
In a major development for U.S. mineral strategy in Africa, KoBold Metals, a California-based company backed by billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, has signed a landmark agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to explore and develop the Manono lithium project — one of the world’s richest untapped lithium deposits. The deal, witnessed […]