Africa Headlines International

DRC: M23 rebels seize eastern town as armed conflict enters alarming new phase

At least 15 people were killed and thousands displaced as the M23 rebel group on Wednesday (6 March) seized a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from government forces amid escalating violence in the country’s conflict-hit region. As the tutsi-led ‘March 23 Movement’ (M23) rebels took over the town of Nyanzale in eastern […]

Africa Business Emerging Markets Headlines International

Tanzania-DRC-Kenya corridors vital to expanding intra-regional trade, contributing to AfCFTA success

Trade corridors between Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and between the latter and Kenya have been highlighted as the key links that will drive trade within the East African region by the year 2035. Increased infrastructure interconnectivity by the African states is widely seen as the key driver that will contribute to the […]

Africa Headlines International

DRC’s and Liberia’s new presidents sworn in, promising to improve economy, security

The newly elected presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi and of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, have been sworn in, with both promising to improve living conditions and security in their respective countries. The DRC’s President Tshisekedi has been sworn in following a landslide victory in the highly contested elections in December that […]

Africa Headlines International

Burundi shuts down Rwanda border, suspends diplomatic ties amid rising tensions

Relations between Burundi and Rwanda have taken another downturn after the former announced on Thursday (18 January) that it had suspended diplomatic ties with its neighbor and unilaterally closed its border. The move came last week, after the Burundi government accused Rwanda of supporting a Burundian rebel group known as RED-Tabara that is based in […]

Africa Headlines International

DRC hopes to leverage SADC regional forces to push back M23 rebels

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is reportedly hoping soldiers from the 10-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) will help it regain ground from the M23 militia in the lawless east. Troops from the regional bloc SADC, including from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, have been discreetly arriving in DRC since the […]

Africa Headlines International

East African Community to benefit from Somalia’s entry and DRC president’s re-election

Somalia’s entry into the East African Community (EAC) and the re-election of the Congolese president are likely to provide an important impetus to the financial services, banking and tourism, as well as to investments in renewable energy, oil, transport and logistics, all of whom are set to drive business opportunities in the East African region […]

Africa Asia Business Emerging Markets Headlines International

Resource curse: more Africa countries could benefit from China’s new tariff-free policy

China’s recent announcement that it was expanding its tariff-free policy to additional African countries, namely Angola, Gambia, Congo, Madagascar, Mali and Mauritania, may be a catalyst for new opportunities amid criticisms about the trade imbalance, according to experts. The Chinese government announced on 25 December 2023 that it was granting the additional six African states […]

Africa Features Headlines International

DRC: Tshisekedi’s landslide victory dismissed by opposition as ‘sham’

Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has won a landslide victory, according to provisional results announced by the country’s election commission, which has secured him a second term in a vote opposition has dismissed as a “sham”. The announcement that the 60-year-old Tshisekedi won re-election with more than 70% of the […]

Africa Headlines International

UN pledges to fund AU-led peace missions after challenging year for peacekeepers in Africa

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution on the financing of African Union-led peace support operations that also aims to “bolster the international community’s efforts to tackle peace and security challenges on the continent,” according to a statement by the UN Secretary General. The UN chief Antonio Guterres, who has repeatedly called […]

Africa Headlines International

DRC opposition to hold protest against election ‘irregularities’ despite govt’s ban

Concerns are emerging about the possibility of yet another cycle of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo after its government banned protests called for by five opposition candidates who are complaining of irregularities and fraud in the last week’s presidential vote. Almost a week on from the chaotic poll that was marred by logistical […]