The Latest Breaking News from the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is gearing up for high-stakes elections on December 20, with incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi facing a crowded field of challengers that includes the runner-up in the disputed 2018 vote and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. With five weeks to go before polls open, organisers…

The Democratic Republic of Congo is expected to hold elections on 20 December 2023. The country’s electoral commission has announced President Felix Tshisekedi will be seeking reelection alongside 23 other candidates. They include Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege and the runner-up in the 2018 presidential election, Martin Fayulu. The…

Hydropower provides clean electricity to millions in Africa. It’s the largest source of renewable energy on the continent and accounts for nearly one quarter of total electricity generation in sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries, however, have a much heavier reliance on it than others. For instance, hydropower accounts for at least…

The three-decade conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has led to the proliferation of hundreds of armed groups. With the violence appearing to take an ethnic slant, several groups have emerged claiming to be protecting their communities from attacks. One such group is the…

As violence and displacement worsens in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country’s children are facing the worst cholera outbreak since 2017.

A massive "resource for infrastructure" deal between China and the Democratic Republic of Congo has been criticised by Kinshasa as too favourable to Beijing. President Felix Tshisekedi was there in May to rebalance the contract. Three months later, Congolese civil society groups are upset over what they call a lack…

Twenty-seven people in the Democratic Republic of Congo were sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping passengers who had the misfortune of getting into their fake taxis. But despite this mass sentencing, which took place between July 5 and 7, people in Kinshasa are still terrified by the rising number…

The demographic profile of a country matters because it sets its development pace – it creates opportunities and presents risks. For many developing countries, the challenge is to manage a demographic profile that puts pressure on particular cohorts of people. One country that needs to manage this challenge is the…

In this edition, where the desire for perfect beauty runs the risk of death or injury. We report from the Mexican state of Sinaloa where many women who can't afford plastic surgery, head to clandestine clinics offering low-cost cosmetic procedures. Also the Kinshasa shelter in the Democratic Republic of Congo…