About: Democratic Republic of Congo
Mining industry warns against Europe’s drive for raw material ‘autonomy’
Relying solely on raw materials sourced within Europe could incentivise the use of cheaper, non-recyclable batteries, increasing the need to mine virgin materials to power electric vehicles, industry has said.
Michel in ‘shock’ after Italy’s DR Congo ambassador is killed in attack
European Council President Charles Michel expressed his "shock" following the death of Italy's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday (22 February) in what is believed to have been an attempted kidnapping attack.
Ebola re-emerges in West Africa with Guinea outbreak
West Africa faced its first known Ebola resurgence since the end of a devastating outbreak in 2016 on Sunday (14 February), with Guinea responding to what its health chief called an "epidemic" after seven cases were confirmed.
DR Congo struggles to wipe out armed groups
DR Congo's army launched an offensive last October to root out the armed groups that infest the east of the vast country. Today, the much-trumpeted campaign seems to have made only meagre gains
DR Congo armed groups killed 1,300 in first half of 2020: UN
More than 1,300 people were killed in the first half of 2020 by armed groups in DR Congo, three times more than in the same period in 2019, according to a report published on Wednesday (5 August) by the United Nations.
Europe gives go ahead to market Ebola vaccine
The European Union authorised the marketing of a vaccine against Ebola on Monday (11 November), permitting the first wider commercial use of a protection that has helped stem an outbreak in DR Congo.
EU says ‘doubts remain’ over DR Congo election result
The EU said Sunday (20 January) that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents.
EU alarmed by Internet blackout in Congo after elections
On 31 December, the day after the presidential election, the Congolese government cut off internet access. The European Union has called for the situation to normalise while the preliminary results are still awaited, one week after the poll was held. EURACTIV France reports.
DR Congo to vote in end-of-an-era poll
Democratic Republic of Congo goes to the polls this week in elections which could see the country emerge from 17 years of conflict-ridden rule under controversial President Joseph Kabila.
Campaigning for critical election opens in crisis-wracked DR Congo
After two years of setbacks, broken promises and delays, the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday (21 November) effectively opened the starting gates for a crucial election that could alleviate -- or perhaps worsen -- the decades-long crisis gripping the vast central African nation.
‘I’m looking at tomorrow’s Congo’, says presidential hopeful
Francis Mvemba tells EURACTIV why he hopes to defeat Congo's political class in December's presidential elections.
Race for lithium illustrates EU drive for ‘strategic’ raw materials
The European Union is accelerating plans to develop lithium mining and refining capacity on its territory as part of a concerted EU push to develop a strategic value chain for manufacturing electric car batteries inside Europe.
NGOs demand asylum reform on World Refugee Day
68.5 million people in the world are displaced due to wars, conflict and persecution - a new high in 2017 for the fifth year in a row, an UNHCR report published on World Refugee Day revealed.
It will be tough and costly to contain current Ebola outbreak, says WHO
Following a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo early May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) decided it is not yet an international public health emergency but is deploying an action plan to contain the disease, a move which proves particularly challenging this time
‘Silent, invisible’ malnutrition seen as threat to generations in Congo
Starving children are the glaring face of Congo's humanitarian crisis, but millions more people are suffering slow onset malnutrition which could have harmful effects for generations, the United Nations said on Thursday (12 April).
Deadly ethnic violence erupts in DR Congo’s Ituri
More than 30 people have been killed and hundreds of homes torched in an explosion of ethnic violence in a DR Congo province where the EU launched a landmark peacekeeping mission, multiple sources told AFP yesterday (5 February).
‘We stand no chance of ending hunger’ without peace, UN says
Conflict is worsening global starvation, the United Nations said on Tuesday (30 January), as it called for greater peacebuilding efforts to end hunger for almost 500 million people living in war zones.
Parliament adopts binding law on conflict minerals
MEPs today (16 March) adopted a new law obliging importers of minerals to ensure that their business does not contribute to armed conflicts in certain areas of the world. EURACTIV France reports.
France says EU ties with Congo must be reviewed, fears ‘terrible civil war’
France called on the European Union to re-examine its relations with Democratic Republic of Congo, fearing that President Joseph Kabila's decision not to step down after his mandate expired might trigger "a terrible civil war".
Tensions mount in DR Congo as end of president’s term nears
Security forces patrolled the streets of Kinshasa yesterday (18 December) after the suspension of last-ditch talks seeking a peaceful end to a crisis sparked by the end of Congolese President Joseph Kabila's mandate.
EU agrees to compulsory checks on conflict mineral imports
After lengthy negotiations, the European institutions have agreed to establish compulsory checks on the supply chain of conflict minerals from 2021. EURACTIV France reports.