Browsing: DRC

• Leaders of Africa’s big economies such as South Africa and Kenya are in Beijing seeking loans for big infrastructure projects.
• Kenya, for instance, is eager to secure additional financing to complete stalled BRI projects.
• In return, analysts say China is keen on creating avenues for accessing minerals and market opportunities for their finished products.

This week, the city of Beijing will be hosting a gathering that could shape the future of Africa’s economic landscape for years to come. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is set to welcome a delegation of African leaders eager to secure substantial financing for key infrastructure projects back home.

Amidst intensifying global competition and shifting economic dynamics, this year’s China-Africa summit promises high-stakes discussions.

The Beijing Summit comes at a critical moment not only for Africa but also for China and the broader international community. Over the past decade, China has solidified its position as …

• Health Minister Roger Kamba announced last week that the DRC expects to receive the first shipment of vaccine doses from the US within days.
• DRC is the hardest hit country by the epidemic globally reporting over 1000 new cases in a week.
• The country currently faces a huge shortfall in vaccine supplies, with an estimated 3 million doses required to curb the epidemic.

The US is expected to deliver critical Mpox vaccines to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week, marking a turning point in Kinshasa’s fight against the fast-spreading viral infection. This intervention comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency, highlighting the urgent need for international support to combat the virus.

The DRC, which has been hardest hit by the epidemic reporting over 1000 new cases in a week, is poised to receive a much-needed boost in its battle against …

• DRC is grappling with a severe outbreak of Mpox, reporting over 1,000 new cases in just one week.
• This alarming surge has prompted health authorities in Africa to urgently request vaccines to combat the viral infection.
• Kenya, the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda are set to benefit from a donation of 50,000 doses of mpox vaccine as part of a global effort to check spread.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is grappling with a severe Mpox outbreak, reporting over 1,000 new cases in just one week. This alarming surge has prompted health authorities in Africa to urgently request vaccines to combat what is increasingly seen as a growing threat on the continent. As the Mpox outbreak escalates, the need for international support has become more critical than ever.

The growing threat of Mpox in Africa

Mpox, a viral disease belonging to the same family as smallpox, is spreading rapidly …

• The Dar-Dodoma SGR cuts travel time by more than half the time.
• Two Presidents and one former President aboard the maiden trip.
• Fast speed SGR expected to boost regional economic activities.

The launch of Tanzania’s SGR has ushered a new era across East Africa, where member countries are fast embracing electric train services to enhance transport and spur trade. This month, Tanzania became the latest of several other East African countries to invest in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi as well as former President Jakaya Kikwete officiated the launch of the commercial operation of the country’s first SGR.

This initial August launch of the SGR services will serve between the commercial port city of Dar es Salaam and the capital city Dodoma. Being the first electric train, it marks a new age for the Tanzanian transport sector.

“The new SGR electric …

• Results show that long-serving Paul Kagame has floored his challengers, garnering 99% of the presidential vote.
• This move gives Kagame a new 7-year term, and another chance to solve the persistent Rwanda-DRC conflict.
• Rwanda-DRC conflict has evolved into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in the world.

Rwanda Elections

Early results show that President Paul Kagame has beaten his challengers, garnering a jaw dropping 99.1 percent of the presidential votes cast on Monday, July 15, 2024. Kagame, who has been at the helm of Rwanda’s governance since 1994 secured victory by a similar margin in 2017.

His main challengers Democratic Green Party’s Frank Habineza and independent Philippe Mpayimana got 0.53 percent and 0.32 percent of the vote respectively.

According to Rwanda’s National Electoral Commission, about nine million people out of a population of 14 million were registered to vote. This represents an increase of two million voters compared to …

• DRC Joins the Organisation of Southern Cooperation after depositing the Instrument of Acceptance
• Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam received the Instrument of Acceptance.
• The OSC, aimed at fostering cooperation and development among Southern Hemisphere countries

The Republic of the Congo has consolidated its full membership status of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC) by depositing the Instrument of Acceptance by Daniel Owassa, Ambassador of the DRC to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union.

Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam received the Instrument of Acceptance at a handover ceremony yesterday at the OSC Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The Republic of the Congo is a founding member of the OSC. The depositing of the Instrument of Acceptance signifies the completion of the full membership process by countries in the Global South.

Read Also: SkyPower, AFC, and DRC join forces for $2.3Bn Green Giant project

H.E. Bin Mussallam said the occasion marked the beginning …

• The joint development of the Green Giant Project will expedite the construction of the first 200MW phase of the investment.
• Mini-grids account for more than half of all new connections in DRC.
• The agreement represents a significant milestone in the collaborative efforts between SkyPower, AFC, and the DRC.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and SkyPower Global have entered into a joint development agreement for the first phase of SkyPower’s Green Giant project in the mineral-rich country.

The move is meant to promote the use of renewable energy in the Eastern African state. This 200MW Phase one is a crucial step towards achieving the landmark 1,000MW Solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) signed between SkyPower and the DRC’s state-owned utility, Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNEL).

The partnership brings together SkyPower’s extensive experience in developing large-scale solar projects and AFC’s successful track record of de-risking and funding well-structured power …

• According to authorities, tapping into DRC’s mineral wealth will yield significant returns for investors and contribute to the Congolese population’s socio-economic advancement.
• This strategic approach resonates with President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi’s agenda to foster job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Canadian mining giant Ivanhoe Mines is cited as an example of a “modern investor” doing business in DRC.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is embarking on a bold mission to harness its untapped mineral wealth, valued at $24 trillion, by courting “modern investors” to drive its mining-powered development plan.

At the forefront of this initiative is Mr. Miguel Kashal Katemb, the Director General of the Regulatory Authority for Subcontracting in the Private Sector (ARSP), who articulated the nation’s aspirations at the 30th annual Mining Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa.

In his address to the audience of investors, Mr Katemb underscored the DRC’s openness to all investors while emphasising the …

• Burundi and Rwanda relations have hit a new low, with the Burundian government suspending ties with Rwanda, closing the Rwandan border.
• The diplomatic row between Burundi and Rwanda has a complex history, with tensions dating back to the colonial era and continuing into the post-independence period.
• The border closure further strains relations between Burundi and Rwanda, as well as the larger East African Community (EAC).

Burundi and Rwanda relations have hit a new low, with the Burundian government suspending ties with Rwanda, closing the Rwandan border, and “chasing” out Rwandese nationals.

Burundi has accused its neighbour of supporting rebel attacks in the region. The move comes after Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye accused Rwanda of backing the Red Tabara rebel group, which orchestrated an attack near Burundi’s western border, where 20 people lost their lives, including women and children.

“We have closed our borders (with Rwanda), anyone who tries to …