Category: International

The signing of a memorandum of understanding between the FRPI, FPIC, URDPC/CODECO and MAPI militias is a step forward for peace in the province of Ituri in the DRC. The militiamen promised to stop all violence against civilians and to facilitate the movement of people and goods. However, some fear that the militiamen do not respect their commitments. Other DRC news includes the inauguration of President Erdogan, calls for citizen mobilization ahead of the December 2023 elections, and the rehabilitation of the Kinshasa-Matadi railway. However, tragic events, such as the assassination of a former civil society president in Butuhe North Kivu and the deadly terrorist attack in Beni, show that the DRC must step up its efforts to protect its citizens.

Security in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan was at the heart of discussions at the 10th ICGLR conference in Luanda, Angola. The Heads of State and their representatives discussed behind closed doors to take stock of the Luanda and Nairobi processes, and announced the holding of a quadripartite meeting to strengthen security in these regions. The deterioration of the situation in Khartoum was also mentioned. A final statement will be issued summarizing the conclusions of the conference.

BRICS foreign ministers met to discuss the reform of UN bodies, including the UN Security Council. They expressed support for the increased participation of developing countries in international affairs and expressed concern over the use of unilateral coercive measures. Finally, Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening global governance by promoting a more effective and accountable international and multilateral system.

This article highlights the importance of ensuring the security of candidates during elections in the DRC. He underlines the responsibility of the Congolese State in securing the electoral process and recommends collaboration with MONUSCO. The specific approach for candidate safety is recommended, as well as the implementation of prevention and rapid reaction measures. The objective is to preserve the integrity of the electoral process, guarantee free and fair elections and strengthen the confidence of political actors and the population.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) strengthened its relations with Turkey during the participation of the Congolese Prime Minister in the inauguration ceremony of President Erdogan. Turkey is investing in major projects in the DRC such as the modernization of N’djili airport and the construction of the Kinshasa financial centre. However, the DRC must also face internal challenges such as the question of human rights, the repression of demonstrations and the terrorist attacks in Beni. Nevertheless, some local initiatives offer hope for the future of the country, such as the mobilization of the Ndudu community to celebrate Congolese cultural diversity.

In this article, we analyze the impact of defections and rallies within the Sudanese army in the context of the ongoing war. Both sides use these events to boost their image and influence public opinion. Defections are perceived as signs of victory and are staged in the media to reinforce the legitimacy of each group. Recently, the number of defections has increased, reflecting the stalemate on the ground and the generals’ desire to show their strength. These defections have become a weapon of communication, used to galvanize the troops and destabilize the adversary. This media battle underlines the importance of the perception of victory in this conflict. The media war has become a major issue, capable of strengthening or weakening the positions of the actors involved.

UNHCR has announced that Rwandan refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congolese in Rwanda are free to indicate their desire to be repatriated to their respective countries. The governments of Kigali and Kinshasa agreed at a meeting in Switzerland to allow voluntary repatriation in safety and dignity for those who wish it. The modalities of support for those who wish to return to their places of origin will be discussed later. The refugee issue has been one of the factors fueling the security crisis between the two countries for decades. However, the security situation must be resolved for the refugee issue to be considered resolved.

The provincial executive secretary of the CENI in Kongo-Central, Bernardine Kitondo, is launching an urgent appeal to repair the Luozi engine ferry, which has been out of order for 8 days. This situation jeopardizes the filing of candidates for provincial legislative elections and has an impact on trade in agricultural products. The recurrent breakdowns of the engine tray are due to its obsolescence. It is essential to act quickly to ensure a safe crossing and facilitate the transport of applications. Bernardine Kitondo asks the authorities to take urgent measures to repair the engine ferry and ensure a successful electoral process in the province of Kongo-Central.