Browsing: War in Congo

• For some, the reappearance of a once-powerful strongman Joseph Kabila raises concerns about instability; for others, it sparks speculation about whether he is staging a calculated return to power—or simply creating noise to protect old interests.
• This environment is fertile ground for political disruption—and Kabila, a man who led Congo for nearly two decades — knows this terrain very
• Already, the Congo River Alliance and M23 factions are actively welcoming his presence, and Congolese authorities have been unable to control his movements in the east.

When Joseph Kabila, the former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reemerged in the rebel-controlled flashpoint of Goma earlier this year, it sent ripples through a nation already navigating fragile peace talks and deep political uncertainty. For some, the reappearance of a once-powerful strongman raised concerns about instability; for others, it sparked speculation about whether Kabila is staging a calculated return to power—or …

• This year, Joseph Kabila’s political comeback gained traction amid mounting tensions with the President Félix Tshisekedi administration, which accused him of plotting insurrection and revoked his immunity from prosecution.
• His recent reemergence, particularly in M23-held Goma, has sparked a flurry of debate: is this the calculated return of a power-hungry strongman, or the quiet evolution of a statesman ready to contribute to peace and reform?

When Joseph Kabila handed over power in 2019 after 18 turbulent years at the helm of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it was seen as a rare peaceful transition in a nation often synonymous with war, death, disease and hopelessness under the shadow of vast mineral wealth.

Since then, the former president has kept a notably low profile—until a couple of months now. His recent reemergence, particularly in M23-held flashpoint of Goma, has sparked a flurry of debate: is this the calculated return of …

• In Eastern DRC, dead bodies lie in the streets, hospitals are overwhelmed and there has been an uptick in reports of sexual violence, rape and looting.
• In Kinshasa, protesters have stormed and torched the embassies of USA, France, Belgium, Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya demanding push back against the advance of M23 rebels.
• UN says 300,000 people uprooted from camps around Goma in a matter of days.

Latest reports from Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from UN teams on the ground indicate a fast-deteriorating situation on Tuesday amid an ongoing assault by M23 rebels on the provincial capital. Dead bodies lie in the streets, hospitals are overwhelmed and there has been an uptick in reports of sexual violence, rape and looting.

“Roads are blocked, ports are closed and those crossing Lake Kivu risk their lives in makeshift boats,” said Shelley Thakral, spokesperson for the UN World Food …

• Ongoing wars in Africa are bleeding billions from poor economies as investors flee the region.
• Sudan army is spending about $1.5 million per day fighting the Rapid Support Forces.
• IMF says Ethiopia’s GDP contracted from 9 percent in 2019 to 6.1 percent in 2020 as Tigray war intensified.

Wars in Africa are costing an arm and a leg, and throwing an awful wrench on poor economies that are hardly providing the bare minimum to their citizens. Take for instance the latest ongoing war in Sudan. Sudan Tribune notes that it is costing roughly $1.5 million every day for the Sudanese army to fight the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

For Sudan, a country whose poverty rate rose from 64.6 percent in 2021 to 66.1 percent last year, $1.5 million is a huge sum of money to be wasted on senseless fighting.

Wars in Africa yielding economic crisis

Sudan is one of …