“The Congolese government announces a land use planning policy to prevent natural disasters”

At least 438 people lost their lives following the floods caused by the torrential rain which fell on several villages in the territory of Kahele, in the province of South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese government, now aware of the need to prevent natural disasters, is working on a draft law on land use planning, with administrative and criminal penalties. The purpose of this bill is to provide the country with regional planning policy tools to prevent natural disasters in the future. The Congolese government has also set up a special commission to help find missing persons.

Ituri: two years after the state of siege, security and stability are back in the province

This article relates the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, more precisely in the province of Ituri. After two years of military administration of the region, following the state of siege declared in 2021 to fight against local and foreign armed groups, security and stability in the city of Bunia and its surroundings have been restored. Mixed patrols have enabled the arrest of many thugs and the recovery of weapons as well as stolen goods. Although the province is returning to security, there is still work to be done to stabilize the situation and continue the fight against insecurity, which requires close collaboration between the various actors.

“The Strategist”, the sad disappearance of an emblematic figure of Congolese showbiz

The article pays tribute to Samy Mikobi, also known as “Le Stratège”, an emblematic figure and outstanding negotiator from Bandal. This man was able to weave a web of quality relationships with all layers of society and create an effective relational network. In particular, he had ties of friendship with Papa Wemba and Samy Badibanga, honorary Prime Minister and current Vice-President of the Senate. His death came as a shock to his friends and the Congolese art world. At the end of the article, links are provided to read other interesting articles on current events in the DRC.

Three natural disasters in two weeks in the DRC: call for help and solidarity.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered numerous natural disasters in the past two weeks, with hundreds dead and missing. Several landslides and heavy rains are the cause of these tragedies. Social networks call for solidarity to help the victims. Global warming is blamed and better risk management could minimize the damage. The people of the DRC need help to cope with the emergency.

SACIM affair in DRC: Ngoyi Kasanji, “Uncle Ngokas”, the former governor of Eastern Kasai on the saddle.

The “Anhui/Congo Mining Investment Company” (SACIM) affair is making headlines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to some independent observers, the former governor Ngoyi Kasanji involved in the management of this affair did not know how to negotiate an equitable sharing of wealth. The new government under the leadership of President Félix TSHISEKEDI seeks to establish economic justice and the equitable sharing of wealth by introducing Tenders and creating a stock exchange for mineral substances supervised by the Center for Expertise, Evaluation and Certification (CEEC ). The fight against corruption is thus one of the pillars of development in the DRC.

“350 villages liberated: The Congolese army takes over the armed groups in Ituri”

After two years of siege in Ituri province, the Congolese army now controls more than 350 villages that were previously under rebel control. This action has stabilized the major cities that were once considered the epicenter of violence in the region before the state of siege. The Congolese army claims to have neutralized more than 300 terrorists from the ADF and their allies, while several armed groups responded to the head of state’s call and surrendered to the army. However, some civil society actors and politicians have criticized the effectiveness of the state of siege, stressing that the fight against violence must continue in other regions of the country.

“Decryption of Congolese news: Tribute to a figure of showbiz, audit of the electoral list, economic development and launch of a new political party”

The Fatshimètre blog features topical articles on the Democratic Republic of Congo, covering topics such as the death of Samy Mikobi, the external audit of the electoral register, the peaceful march of the opposition, economic development, healthcare reproductive health and the launch of a new political party. These articles offer a current vision of the political and social issues of the DRC and the initiatives in place to improve the lives of its population.

“State of siege in the Democratic Republic of Congo: the army recovers more than 350 villages and neutralizes more than 300 members of the ADF in the province of Ituri”

The Congolese army has announced positive results in the fight against armed groups in Ituri province, such as the recovery of more than 350 villages and the reopening of roads. The offensive operation carried out within the framework of the state of siege decreed two years ago made it possible to neutralize more than 300 members of the ADF and allies, to disarm local militias and to educate the population on the culture of resolution peaceful conflicts. Offensive operations continue in the province.

The 49th General Assembly of the Global Fund Board, African representatives advocate for local capacities and government involvement in Africa

From May 8 to 11, 2023, the 49th General Assembly of the Global Fund Board was held in Hanoi, Vietnam. Representatives from different regions of the world gathered to discuss development strategies, commitment of financial resources, risk management and advocacy to fight against tuberculosis, HIV and malaria. The African delegation advocated for local capacity building and global cooperation in the fight against these diseases. Africa has two seats on the Board of the Global Fund out of 28.

External audit mission of the electoral register in the DRC: the EOM CENCO-ECC expresses its concern and proposes a solution

The CENCO-ECC Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) expresses its concern and its reservations on the Notice of call for candidates for the External Audit Mission of the 2022-2023 electoral register of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It highlights contradictions in the provisions of the opinion and insufficient time to carry out the necessary procedures. The MOE proposes that an independent body experienced in the matter be identified and invited to carry out this work in compliance with the conditions that preserve national sovereignty, without offending the independence of the said body. If the audit process as planned is carried out, it would reinforce mistrust and the deterioration of public confidence in the electoral process in the DRC. In addition, Fatshimetry’s blog also addresses various topics such as the humanitarian crisis, the reorganization of the diamond industry, the recomposition of the CENI and the stabilization of the exchange rate in the DRC. The EOM’s final report on voter registration will be released on May 15.