Vol 59 No 16 | CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE This bum for hire 10th August 2018 President Denis Sassou-Nguesso is no stranger to Washington's K Street, where all the major United States lobbying firms are found, having previously hired lobbyists to campaign against so-called...
Vol 59 No 15 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Fiscal fails and testing talks 27th July 2018 A deceptive lull has descended on Bangui while peace talks are mired in confusion. Meanwhile, chaotic public finances are causing alarm Just two months ago Bangui was on the edge of the abyss as violence escalated and nobody seemed to have a grip on the situation. Now, the city...
Vol 59 No 12 | CONGO-KINSHASA Making the miners sweat 15th June 2018 Big mining companies loudly rejected the new mining code. They don’t know if they’ll sue, shut their mines in protest, or lump it Prime Minister Bruno Tshibala Nzenze signed into law regulations which overhaul the regime governing the mining sector on 9 June, making real the worst fears of Glencore, Randgold...
Vol 59 No 11 | CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Solutions scarce as chaos grows 21st May 2018 Neither the President nor the UN forces have a grip on deteriorating security. The killing of a priest in his church illustrates the growing disorder Faustin-Archange Touadéra stepped into the presidency in February 2016 on a wave of goodwill, seemingly ready to face the challenge of national reconciliation. Now, he is booed whenever...
Vol 59 No 10 | CONGO-KINSHASA Clashes over 'clean coltan' 18th May 2018 Conflict minerals are being laundered for export, it is claimed, exacerbating Hutu-Tutsi tension in the unstable east The closure of a coltan mine at the beginning of the month sparked protests and has focused attention on the continuing struggle to keep conflict financing out of...
Vol 59 No 9 | CAMEROON Language barriers 4th May 2018 More than 100 civilians, at least 43 members of the security forces and an unknown number of armed militants have reportedly died since Cameroon's Anglophone crisis turned violent...
Vol 59 No 6 | CONGO-KINSHASA The Great Lakes gold rush 23rd March 2018 Escalating violence is being fuelled by smuggled gold, which often ends up in the hands of a leading Belgian refiner Diplomats and United Nations officials are becoming increasingly worried by the risk of another 'great war' as bad as that which devastated the country between 1998 and 2003....
Vol 59 No 6 | CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE Fates of the opposition 23rd March 2018 President Denis Sassou-Nguesso seems in several minds about what to do with the opposition. Some face show trials after years of incarceration, while others may go on their...
Vol 59 No 5 | CONGO-KINSHASA Kabila's survival strategy 9th March 2018 The President is brutally repressing dissent, ignoring and sometimes encouraging ethnic violence in a bid to prolong his rule A leader determined to hold on to power against a growing band of opposition activists while militia fighters mobilise in the hinterland are all pushing Congo-Kinshasa closer to...
Vol 59 No 4 | CONGO-KINSHASA Kabila squeezes the miners 23rd February 2018 A row between government and mining companies over profits and taxes could escalate the country’s crisis Western mining companies – led by Glencore and Randgold – are readying for battle with President Joseph Kabila over the government's plans to hike taxes and royalties on...