Region

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi The United States on Tuesday restored the Democratic Republic of Congo’s favored trading status, pointing to improvements one decade after it was suspended over human rights concerns. President Donald Trump said in a proclamation he was restoring the vast, impoverished nation’s ability to send exports…

UN special envoy for the great lakes region Huang Xia (left) was in Burundi on Tuesday for meeting with President Ndayishimiye President Evariste Ndayishimiye has dismissed a UN proposal for a third interlocutor to mediate between Burundi and Rwanda. UN special envoy for the great lakes region Huang Xia was…

Tens of thousands are braving overflowing rivers to escape to Sudan as war rages in Tigray President Paul Kagame is hopeful that Ethiopia can bring peace and stability back to its northernmost region of Tigray, in the shortest time possible. Village Urugwiro, Rwanda’s Presidency issued a statement, as the head…

Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli Tanzanian President John Magufuli said Friday that freedom and democracy have limits, after a disputed election which saw scores of opposition members arrested and his main rival leave the country. Magufuli was declared the victor of October 28 election with 84 percent of the vote,…

The Tigray region neighbors Eritrea Pope Francis has appealed to Ethiopian authorities to choose the path of peace – days after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched military offensive on secessionist region. Pope Francis said he is following with concern the news regarding an escalation of violence in Ethiopia and appealed…

Marguerite Barankitse (C) meets Pope Francis in February last year, one of her many global recognitions due to her work Burundian global campaigner Marguerite Barankitse has cancelled the scholarships of over 100 Burundian refugee students that were funded through her organisation Maison Shalom. The affected students received email from Maison…

A mine in eastern Congo A New York court on Wednesday sentenced OZ Africa, a subsidiary of multi-billion-dollar hedge fund Och-Ziff, for corruption linked to mining projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It awarded $135 million in restitution to the former shareholders of Africo Resources Ltd, who lost their…

This is how the border looked like before the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the site is nearly deserted Provincial officials from western Rwanda and eastern DR Congo have agreed to partially open the Rubavu-Goma border – but the restrictions still remain in place. Rwanda’s western province governor Alphonse Munyentwari was across…

Just one of the victims of Beni’s endless bloodshed (Photo: HRW) At least 21 people were massacred around 4am on Saturday and more than 20 kidnapped in latest attack on region close to Beni, a troubled DR Congo area. Among those killed include 15 women. An entire village in area…

Incumbent President John Pombe Magufuli has won a comfortable second term with an absolute majority in Parliament The all powerful ruling party in Tanzania, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM party, has won all but two seats in Parliament – leaving the opposition crying fowl. In the 264-seat House, the…

Mahama camp in Kirehe district In the past two weeks, the camp for Burundian refugees in Kirehe district near the Rwanda-Tanzania border has recorded 14 new cases of the COVID-19. The camp is home to more than 60,000 refugees who have been there since 2015. Information from Mahama camp officials…

The dam is becoming a major geopolitical issue for regional and global powers Ethiopia on Saturday summoned the US ambassador over what it called an “incitement of war” between Ethiopia and Egypt from President Donald Trump over his comment that Cairo could end up “blowing up” the Renaissance Dam. Ethiopian…

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda shakes hands with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, generally referred to as Hemetti, Hemedti, Hemeti or Hemitte, from the Rizeigat tribe in Darfur. He is currently a member of Sudan’s sovereign council Sudan’s Prime Minster Abdalla Hamdok on Sunday promised cooperation with International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou…

Members of this force are drawn from special forces of Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi. They helped change the dynamics of the conflict back in 2013 The problem isn’t the FIB’s composition but that it no longer aggressively pursues rebel groups in eastern DRC. ‘The Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) should…

Vast sways of South Sudan is under way LANYARIS, South Sudan (Reuters) – By the time the waters started rising, ethnic violence had already forced South Sudanese mother Vorgol Poulo, her husband, and their seven children to flee their home twice this year. They were desperate to stay home when…

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi was in Goma, while counterparts were linked up virtually Leaders of DR Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Angola have vowed to “jointly fight” what they call “mafia networks” they accuse of smuggling Congo’s minerals. In a long-awaited summit postponed twice, and held today via videoconference instead of…

Marie Ntumba Nzeza arrived Sunday in Burundi DR Congo’s Foreign affairs minister Marie Ntumba Nzeza arrived Sunday in Gitega for high-level talks in Burundi. Nzeza is reported to be carrying a message from President Felix Tshisekedi for Burundian counterpart Evariste Ndayishimiye. During the two-day visit, Nzeza will open a fresh…

Should we mourn the good relations between Rwanda and Burundi? The answer is undoubtedly a big yes. This sorry development is so unfortunate for the two brother peoples. The relations will stay damaged as long as Burundi remains in the grip of the unholy and toxic alliance that can be…

WHO’s pledge comes days after a report accused WHO and other NGO workers operating in DRC of demanding sex in exchange for being hired for a job. The World Health Organization (WHO) has promised to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by people identified as health and aid officials in the…

President Salva Kiir (R) and Vice President Riek Machar shake hands in the South Sudanese capital Juba during the time they were in talks while Machar was in opposition last year The United Nations Human Rights Commission has revealed a staggering scale of corruption and embezzlement going on in South…

Today morning, Burundians boarded buses to return home At total of 1,084 Burundian refugees today early morning boarded buses in Rwanda and Tanzania to return home. In Rwanda, 511 Burundian left the Mahama refugee camp in eastern Rwanda at 6am and a few hours later crossed back home via the…

The East African Legislative Assembly holds a virtual sitting on September 3, at which they approved a Vote on Account of USD 19,697,574.88 Million to support the normal operations and to cater for expenses of the EAC in the first quarter of the Financial Year 2020/2021. As the situation stands…

President Kagame listens in as Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the virtual session of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Presidential Panel, on September 11, 2020 Rwanda’s foreign affairs ministry has informed the DR Congo government that a physical meeting of regional leaders in Goma is not a good…

Council of Councils global perspectives roundups gather opinions from experts on major international developments. In this edition, members of six leading global think tanks reflect on what reforms are the most important for the United Nations as it looks toward its next seventy-five years. The United Nations Security Council meets…

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi had hoped to establish himself as the new regional power-broker with the Goma summit DR Congo indicated Sunday that the regional quadripartite summit scheduled this Sunday September 13 has been suspended indefinitely. The foreign affairs ministry in Kinshasa said the summit that was due in…

Burundi President Evariste Ndayishimiye The Government of Burundi has declined to take part in the heads of state summit being organized by DR Congo due for September 13 in the border town of Goma. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi had been scheduled to host Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Burundi’s…

The Mahama camp had turned into a permanent settlement for the Burundian refugees The more than 72,000 Burundian refugees in Rwanda have been given freeway to start going back home beginning August 27. A tripartite videoconference meeting held Thursday involving Rwandan, Burundi and UN refugees agency officials agreed to begin…

DR Congo delegation to the talks is led by Tanganyika Province Governor Zoe Kabila, the young brother of ex-president Joseph Kabila Talks to resolve a deadly border dispute between Zambia and DR Congo collapsed on Thursday – three days into the five day talks. High-level delegations from both sides have…

Singer and MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine is a first-time lawmaker and new entrant into politics but has caused so much excitement In a shock announcement, two most powerful parties currently in Uganda’s political arena may have settled on new entrant to be the flag bearer in the January…

Over the weekend, Burundi President Gen Evariste Ndayishimiye (in hat) with First Lady led nation in celebrations to mark Communal Day, a calendar event meant for all elites to return to their villages A group of Burgundian refugees in Rwanda have written letter to Burundi President Gen Evariste Ndayishimiye asking…