Page 3 - Congo

More than 80 passengers killed in latest boat accident: Congo President

A boat carrying more than 270 passengers has capsized on a river near Congo's capital of Kinshasa, leaving more than 80 dead, President Flix Tshisekedi said on Wednesday. It was the latest deadly boat accident in the central African country where overloading is often blamed, including in February when dozens lost their lives after an overloaded boat sank. The statement quoting President Flix Tshisekedi says the locally made boat capsized late Monday in Ma-Ndombe province along the Kwa River. The boat was carrying 271 passengers to Kinshasa when it broke down due to an engine failure, according to the UN-backed Radio Okapi, citing Ren Maker, the water commissioner in the Mushi district where the accident happened. Eighty-six of the passengers died while 185 managed to swim ashore, some 70 kilometers (43 miles) near the closest city of Mushie, Maker said. He said the boat hit the edge of the river bank and broke up. Congolese officials have often warned against overloading and vowe

Fire at displacement camp in Congo leaves many families without shelter: UN

A fire at a displacement camp in eastern Congo destroyed around 50 makeshift tents, leaving dozens of families without shelter, according to the United Nations, which said the fire is believed to have started during cooking at a camp. The Muganga displaced people camp near the provincial capital Goma was hit by fire Wednesday. It had already endured bomb attacks in early May, which killed at least 18 people and injured 32 others, a U.N. spokesman said. It wasn't clear what type of explosives were used in those attacks. Most of the victims were women and children. While I was trying to empty the house of my valuables, I couldn't save my most precious items: my tokens to receive various humanitarian assistance, Anne Marie Nikuze, 60, a displaced person living in the camp with her children and grandchildren told The Associated Press. The little we had has also gone up in flames, she said. We escaped the recent bomb attacks and now, it's the fire that has struck us, Furaha Mulema Mariam

After Rafah, 'All Eyes on Congo' is trending on social media; here's why

'All Eyes on Congo' seeks to shine a spotlight on the protracted strife plaguing the African nation for decades

Congo appoints its first female prime minister as violence surges in east

President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has appointed the country's first female prime minister, fulfilling a campaign promise and making an important step towards the formation of a new government after being reelected late last year. Former planning minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka will step into the role at a time of worsening violence in the country's mineral-rich east, which borders Rwanda. The long-running conflict has displaced more than 7 million people according to the United Nations, making it one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Tuluka promised to work towards peace and development in her first speech following her appointment on state television. Still, it could be months before a new government is formed as the process requires intensive negotiations with the many political parties. My thoughts go out to the east and to all corners of the country, which today are facing conflicts with enemies who are sometimes hidden, she said, referring to

Rwanda rejects US calls for withdrawal of missiles, troops from Congo

Authorities in Rwanda on Monday rejected US calls for the withdrawal of troops and missile systems from eastern Congo, saying they are defending Rwandan territory as Congo carries out a "dramatic military build-up near the border. Rwanda's Foreign Ministry in a statement spoke of threats to Rwandan national security stemming from the presence in Congo of an armed group whose members include alleged perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. The rebel group, known by its initials FDLR, is fully integrated into" the Congolese army, the statement said. Although Rwanda has long cited a threat posed by FLDR, authorities there had never admitted to a military presence in eastern Congo, whose authorities accuse the tiny central African country of actively supporting the violent armed group known as M23. The US State Department in a statement Saturday criticised the worsening violence caused by M23, describing it as a Rwanda-backed armed group. That statement also urged Rwanda to immediately withd

Afcon 2024: Congo knocks Egypt out, will play Guinea in quarterfinals

Congo knocked seven-time champion Egypt out of the Africa Cup of Nations with an 8-7 win on penalties after the teams finished 1-1 after extra time in the round-of-16 match. Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal struck the crossbar with his spot kick before Congo counterpart Lionel Mpasi stepped up to send the Leopards into the quarterfinals. Also known as Gabaski, Abou Gabal whose saves almost won the title for Egypt in the last edition was playing because regular goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy dislocated his shoulder in the team's final group game against Cape Verde. It was the latest misfortune for Egypt, which lost Liverpool star Mohamed Salah to a hamstring injury during the 2-2 draw with Ghana in their second match. The Egyptian Football Association sacrificed a cow on Thursday in an effort to change the team's luck. However, the Pharaohs' defense was caught out by a quick throw in for Congo's opening goal, scored by Meschack Elia in the 37th. Mostafa Mohamed equalized from

Floods in Congo's central province kill at least 22 people: Official

Flooding triggered by heavy rains in central Congo killed at least 22 people, including 10 from the same family, a local official said Tuesday. The hourslong rainfall in the district of Kananga in Kasai Central province destroyed many houses and structures, the province's governor, John Kabeya, said as rescue efforts intensified in search of survivors. Five more deaths were confirmed later on Tuesday in addition to the initially reported death toll of 17, he said. The collapse of a wall caused 10 deaths, all members of the same family in Bikuku, said Kabeya. There was significant material damage caused by the floods, according to Nathalie Kambala, country director of The Hand in Hand for Integral Development nongovernmental organisation. Flooding caused by heavy rainfall is frequent in parts of Congo, especially in remote areas. In May, more than 400 people died in floods and landslides brought on by torrential overnight rains in eastern Congo's South Kivu province. Among the ...

Congo's 2nd day of voting faces delays; Oppn leaders raise concerns

Congo was wrapping up its second day of voting Thursday after a chaotic rollout and lengthy delays forced officials to extend the balloting in the general election. The problems drew criticism from some opposition candidates as concerns mounted that the logistical hurdles could affect the credibility of the results. At stake was the future of one of Africa's largest nations and one whose mineral resources are increasingly crucial to the global economy. Congo has a history of disputed elections that can turn violent, and there's little confidence among many Congolese in the country's institutions. President Felix Tshisekedi, who is seeking his second and final five-year term, has spent much of his time in office trying to gain legitimacy after a disputed 2018 election. Some 44 million people almost half the population were expected to vote in this year's presidential contest and in legislative and provincial elections held simultaneously. Tshisekedi was the likely winner of the ...

WHO confirms sexual spread of mpox in Congo as country sees record outbreak

The World Health Organization said it has confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo for the first time as the country experiences its biggest-ever outbreak, a worrying development that African scientists warn could make it more difficult to stop the disease. In a statement issued late Thursday, the U.N. health agency said a resident of Belgium travelled to Congo in March and tested positive for mpox, or monkeypox, shortly afterward. WHO said the individual identified himself as a man who has sexual relations with other men and that he had gone to several underground clubs for gay and bisexual men. Among his sexual contacts, five later tested positive for mpox, WHO said. This is the first definitive proof of sexual transmission of monkeypox in Africa, Oyewale Tomori, a Nigerian virologist who sits on several WHO advisory groups, said. The idea that this kind of transmission could not be happening here has now been debunked." Mpox has been endemic in parts of central and west ..

Risk of global Mpox outbreak rises as virulent strain spreads in Congo

A Belgian resident with connections to the DRC and his sexual contacts tested positive for a strain of Mpox, known as Clade 1, which has a fatality rate of about 10%

10 killed in Congo as intercommunal violence worsens over land rights

A militia group armed with guns and machetes killed at least 10 people in intercommunal violence in southwestern Congo, local authorities said Saturday. The attack is the latest episode in a deepening crisis that has been overshadowed by conflict on the other side of the vast Central African nation. According to provincial government spokesperson Adelard Nkisi, a militia group known as the Mobondo attacked civilians and burned down several houses in the village of Ipongi, just over 230 miles (370 kilometers) south of the capital Kinshasa, on Friday. An unknown number of people were tied up and kidnapped by the militia members, who fled into the bush, Nkisi said. The provincial government sent defense and security forces to restore security in the area. Tensions flared in June 2022 over land rights and customary taxes in Congo's southwest, between the Teke, historical inhabitants of the region, and farmers from various other ethnic groups including the Yaka, who settled near the Con

US-based aid group says around $900,000 stolen by employees in Congo

An American-based aid group said that approximately $900,000 was stolen from its Congo programs by members of the organization who conspired with outsiders. GiveDirectly said that it learned that people on its Congo team worked with people outside the organization to defraud the cash transfer program, diverting aid from more than 1,700 impoverished families over six months, starting in August 2022. This fraud was only possible because of a specific change we made in our payment process in order to work in this remote, insecure region of (Congo), according to the statement from Monday. We feel deep regret for not catching this sooner and take seriously the vulnerabilities it exposed, it said. GiveDirectly said that an investigation is ongoing and that it was able to recover a very small portion of the lost funds, but the majority of the $900,000 will likely be uncoverable. But the group is working to ensure that families impacted by the fraud get their money. Roughly 1% of money ...

At least $900,000 stolen by employees of US aid group operating in Congo

An American-based aid group said that at least USD 900,000 was stolen from it's Congo programs by members of the organisation who conspired with outsiders. GiveDirectly said that it learned that people on its Congo team worked with people outside the organisation to defraud the cash transfer programme, diverting aid from more than 1,700 impoverished families over six months, starting in August 2022. This fraud was only possible because of a specific change we made in our payment process in order to work in this remote, insecure region of (Congo), according to the statement from Monday. We feel deep regret for not catching this sooner and take seriously the vulnerabilities it exposed, it said. GiveDirectly said that an investigation is ongoing and that it was able to recover a very small portion of the lost funds, but the majority of the USD 900,000 will likely be uncoverable. But the group is working to ensure that families impacted by the fraud get their money. More than 1 per c

Code red in the global supply chain

Siddharth Kara's thought-provoking book exposes the exploitation inherent in the extraction of cobalt, a mineral crucial to modern technology, and the injustices faced by the people of Congo

LIVE: Security tightened in Delhi ahead of farmer's march to Jantar Mantar

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Death toll from flash floods, landslides in Congo rises beyond 200

The death toll from flash floods and landslides in eastern Congo has risen beyond 200, with many more people still missing, according to local authorities in the province of South Kivu. Thomas Bakenge, administrator of Kalehe, the worst-hit territory, told reporters on the scene Saturday that 203 bodies had been recovered so far, but that efforts to find others were continuing. In the village of Nyamukubi, where hundreds of homes were washed away, rescue workers and survivors dug through the ruins Saturday looking for more bodies in the mud. Villagers wept as they gathered around some of the bodies recovered so far, which lay on the grass covered in muddy cloths near a rescue workers post. Grieving survivor Anuarite Zikujuwa said she had lost her entire family, including her in-laws, as well as many of her neighbours. "The whole village has been turned into a wasteland. There's only stones left and we can't even tell where our land once was," she said. Michake Ntamana, a rescue wo

United Nations extends Congo peacekeeping force with an eye to its exit

The Security Council has voted unanimously to extend the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo with an eye to its eventual exit, and to lift a notification requirement on some arms purchases which Congo's foreign minister recently called unjustified and humiliating. The separate resolutions were approved on Tuesday amid worsening security in Congo's mineral-rich east, a region rife with rebel groups and an upsurge in violence and civilian killings that has uprooted tens of thousands of its inhabitants. The resolution extending the U.N. peacekeeping force known as MONUSCO until Dec. 20, 2023, strongly condemns all domestic and foreign armed groups operating in the country and demands they immediately cease all violence and destabilizing actions and the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources. It also demands the immediate withdrawal of M23 rebels, who have been fighting a coalition of armed civilian protection militias in the east for more than a year, as agreed at a ...

At least 100 people killed by floods, landslides in Congo's capital

At least 100 people have been killed and dozens injured on Tuesday by widespread floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in Congo's capital, Kinshasa. Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde said officials were still searching for more bodies. We came to assess the damage and the primary damage we see is human," Lukonde said on state television Tuesday. Some 12 million people live in the 24 neighbourhoods of Kinshasa hit by the floods, according to three local officials who told The Associated Press that people were killed, houses submerged and roads ruined. In the Ngaliema area more than three dozen people died and bodies are still being counted, said the area's mayor, Alid'or Tshibanda. In another part of town five members from one family were killed, some by electrocution. It is a just calamity, said Pierrot Mantuela. The 30-year-old lost his mother, nine-year-old daughter and three brothers. It's sad to lose all the members of my family, he said. He was spared because he w

'India remains concerned on volatile security situation in eastern Congo'

"The activities of armed groups have continued unabated, resulting in killings of civilians, displacement of the population and a dire humanitarian situation," Ruchira Kamboj said

M23 kills 131 civilians including 17 women, 12 children in east Congo: UN

In eastern Congo last week, M23 rebels killed at least 131 civilians, including 17 women and 12 children, a UN spokesman said