First Independent Mena Newspaper
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has expressed willingness to engage in direct dialogue with the M23 rebel group, signaling a shift in its stance toward resolving the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the country. This decision comes after years of resistance to negotiations and follows a series of successful military offensives by […]
The M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has continued its offensive, defying a ceasefire agreement signed by DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Despite international calls for an immediate halt to hostilities, M23 forces captured the strategic town of Walikale on Wednesday (19 March), a key area rich […]
Angola’s presidency confirmed that peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the M23 rebel group will proceed as planned in Luanda, despite the rebels’ withdrawal from the negotiations. The M23 announced on Monday (17 March) they were pulling out due to sanctions imposed by the European Union on several Rwandan officials, […]
Civil society groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are calling for a fresh review of the country’s mining agreement with Chinese companies, citing substantial financial losses and continued imbalances despite a 2024 renegotiation. The “Congo Is Not For Sale” coalition (CNPAV) claims that the revised deal, originally signed in 2008 by the then-president […]
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is reportedly seeking its own version of the minerals-for-security deal that has been offered by the Trump administration to Ukraine. Reuters reported that a Congolese Senator had written to the US State Department offering a similar deal that would help the war-torn country address its security challenges, notably in […]
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has announced a phased withdrawal of its peacekeeping troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following a year of escalating conflict with M23 rebels. This decision, made during an extraordinary summit held on Thursday (13 March), reflects the regional bloc’s shift towards pursuing a political solution after […]
Prices of cobalt, a key mineral for energy transition, began to rise following an export ban by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to balance the market. On China’s Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange on Monday, cobalt trading was paused after prices jumped nearly 12%, the highest since October. Last month, DRC said it will stop […]
Direct peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the M23 rebel group are scheduled to begin in Angola’s capital city Luanda on 18 March, as announced by Angola’s presidency. This marks a significant development after months of escalating conflict in the volatile eastern DRC, where the M23 rebels, widely believed to […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the United States are engaged in preliminary talks over a potential minerals-for-security agreement, which could reshape global supply chains for critical minerals. It comes as U.S. president Donald Trump recently vowed to take “historic action” to “dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths.” Under the proposed […]
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has offered a $5 million reward for the capture of three M23 rebel leaders, just as its fighters keep pushing deeper into the country’s mineral-rich eastern region, eyeing the strategic town of Walikale. The M23 leaders, including Corneille Nangaa, Bertrand Bisimwa and Sultani Makenga, were convicted of treason last […]