Category: Non classé

Kasai Central, a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, experienced 47 traffic accidents in the first quarter of 2023, causing 13 deaths and considerable property damage. Poorly maintained roads and ignorance of the highway code are the main causes of these accidents. Although the awareness and interventions of the National Road Prevention Commission have reduced the number of accidents compared to the previous quarter, it is urgent that the authorities increase prevention measures to guarantee the safety of all road users.

The bill determining the fundamental principles of the exercise of the right to strike was presented to the plenary of the National Assembly by the national deputy Guy Mafuta Kabongo. This bill aims to provide a legal framework for the right to strike, which is often poorly regulated in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It prohibits dismissals following a strike without gross negligence, as well as illegal strikes and strike action on the employers’ side. The proposal must be examined and groomed by the PAJ commission before being adopted, thus offering legal protection to Congolese workers to exercise their right to strike in safety.

Following the dissolution of the Social Fund of the DRC (FSRDC) and the creation of a new public body bearing the same name, the Democratic Republic of Congo risks losing funding of one billion US dollars from the World Bank for humanitarian and development projects. This decision taken without consultation could directly affect more than 600,000 beneficiaries of the projects concerned. The World Bank therefore requests the collaboration of the Congolese government in order to ensure the achievement of project objectives. The interruption of activities could also lead to the suspension of disbursements for these projects as well as the interruption of approximately 5,000 individual consultant contracts.

The security situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo is alarming due to the resurgence of armed groups and the presence of Rwandan forces supporting the M23, despite the request for withdrawal from the United States. Congolese authorities have called for coordinated action to end intercommunal violence in the North Kivu region. In addition, the DRC must also face economic challenges such as the suspension of disbursements from the World Bank. Despite these significant challenges, the country seeks to overcome the difficulties and express its resilience, particularly in the fields of sport and cinema.

The quadripartite mission Ministry of Industry, ANAPI, Industry Promotion Fund and Special Economic Zones Agency visited Musienene Special Economic Zone to inspect the level of work in progress. According to Jean Dieudonné Kavese, Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Industry, the mission was satisfied with the progress and this visit will provide additional support to stakeholders in the area. The work should stimulate industrial production in the region and thus improve the living conditions of the inhabitants.

The World Bank has announced the suspension of disbursements for its three development operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following the dissolution of the DRC Social Fund (FSRDC). The suspension occurred while the transition details were finalized in collaboration with the country’s authorities. The DRC presidency has reassured the World Bank on the legality of the process initiated since 2008, which aims to improve the living conditions of Congolese.

The article talks about intercommunal violence between the “Wazalendo” and “Patriotes” groups in the province of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, due to the management of the Kyavinyonge fishery. General Robert Kasongo, commander of the operational sector Sokola 1 Grand-Nord, intervened to ask the combatants of the two groups to leave the area. He handed over a sum of money to the fighters to ensure their return to end the battle, and assured the population that arrangements would be made to pacify the area. The Fatshi Metrie blog, which publishes the article, deals with Congolese news in various fields.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo has adopted the procedural guides for the national legislative elections of June 2023, in accordance with the CENI electoral calendar. The BRTCs will be open from June 26 to July 15 for the filing and processing of applications for national deputies and from August 3 to 22 for the election of provincial deputies and municipal councillors. The CENI is also working on the external audit of the electoral register to guarantee the reliability of electoral operations. The electoral process aims to guarantee more reliable and transparent elections, reflecting the will of the Congolese people.

The Kinshasa European Film Festival celebrates its seventh edition for a duration of one week. The event focuses on documentary films, a popular genre in the DRC, and offers a platform for training and transmission of know-how in the cinematographic field. The opening film is “La Vie est Belle”, directed by Mweze Ngagura and Benoit Lamy, and starring Papa Wemba. Other screenings are planned in French institutes and the Wallonia-Brussels centre. The festival is an opportunity for film professionals to meet their audience and for amateurs to discover the work of various Congolese, African and European cinema talents.

Oscar Tshiebwe, the Congolese pivot playing in the North American university championship, has been added to the list of players invited to the “NBA Combine 2023”. It is an opportunity for him to show his talent in front of the NBA franchises and thus try to obtain a place in one of them. Considered the best North American college player last season, Tshiebwe almost didn’t play this season due to the lack of franchise interest in him. The “NBA Combine 2023” is a series of tests and trials involving the best college players in the North American league for the Draft, which will take place on June 18. Tshiebwe’s performance could allow him to become the first Congolese player to play in the NBA.