July 24 marked the end of the latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This was the DRC’s ninth Ebola outbreak. In fact, the Ebola virus was first identified there in 1976. Previous outbreaks had been confined to isolated rural areas but this one involved four separate locations, including Mbandaka, a major city with connections to the capital, Kinshasa, and its more than 10 million people, as well as the neighbouring country capitals of Bangui and Brazzaville. In addition, health workers were infected, becoming vectors for spread themselves. One of the many lessons from the devastating West African Ebola epidemic of 2014 was that the world expected much more from the World Health Organization than it was then able to deliver. We have since worked hard to make sure the world is better prepared, not only for Ebola but for the many high-threat pathogens, including pandemic influenza, that can cross the species barrier—from animals to … [Read more...] about The end of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the time to prepare for the next one
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Democratic Republic of Congo: United Nations experts urge review of draft Non-governmental organization (NGO) bill
UN human rights experts urge the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to undertake a comprehensive review of a draft Bill aimed at regulating the work of non-governmental organisations, saying it threatens the vital work of civil society. The Bill sets new restrictions aimed at reducing the number of NGOs operating in the country. The draft law should be examined before the end of the current session of Parliament on 15 June despite the fact that the experts shared their concerns regarding this Bill in recent exchanges with the Government. “If adopted in its present form, the Bill threatens the rights to freedoms of expression and of association and will further restrict civic space in the country,” the experts said. “We are particularly concerned about certain provisions, some of them overly vaguely worded, which impose burdensome and discretionary administrative requirements for registration of associations, as well as the lack of judicial control over the procedure. … [Read more...] about Democratic Republic of Congo: United Nations experts urge review of draft Non-governmental organization (NGO) bill
Refugees Who Fled Violence in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, Face Disease and Privation in Uganda
The attackers wore masks and used axes, machetes, and guns to slaughter civilians in the strife-torn Ituri province of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), says Areiti, a mother of seven children. The morning the violence came to her village of Joo, she had no time to prepare her family’s escape. “I saw how they were killing people,” the 37-year-old says. “They cut people with axes and they slaughter with machetes. You cannot see them clearly because they are running after you. They attacked our village before Christmas, and we spent Christmas in the bush.” After escaping, Areiti and her children braved the journey to the shores of Lake Albert. And like some 57,000 other people who have fled renewed violence in eastern DRC since mid-December, they crossed the lake on a boat to Uganda, in search of safety and another chance at life. A Treacherous Journey “We left [DRC] at sunset. The lake was difficult to cross. The wind was … [Read more...] about Refugees Who Fled Violence in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, Face Disease and Privation in Uganda
Democratic Republic of Congo journalist Eliezer Ntambwe detained without charge
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo should immediately release Eliezer Ntambwe, a journalist and presenter at the privately owned news outlet and YouTube channel Tokomi Wapi, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today (April 4, 2018). Congolese judicial police on the morning of April 2 arrested Ntambwe at Tokomi Wapi's Kinshasa office and took him to the prosecutor general's office in Gombe, a district in the city's northwest, where he is still being held, according to the journalist's lawyer, Hervé Diakiese, and the Observatory for Press Freedom in Africa, (OLPA), a local press freedom organization. Ntambwe has not been charged, Diakiese said. Ntambwe was detained after the governor of DRC's central Kasai Oriental province, Ngoyi Kasanji, accused him of defamation and extortion relating to an interview the journalist conducted, according to Diakiese and OLPA. "No journalist should be deprived of his liberty simply on accusations by a … [Read more...] about Democratic Republic of Congo journalist Eliezer Ntambwe detained without charge
Digging for cobalt riches: Congo races to fix a deadly problem
William Clowes and Thomas Wilson, Bloomberg Published 12:49 pm, Wednesday, March 28, 2018 Photo: Bloomberg Photo By William Clowes Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 A man sorts through cobalt ore at the market in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo on Feb. 24. So-called artisanal mining is as commonplace as farming in many parts of Congo. A man sorts through cobalt ore at the market in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo on Feb. 24. So-called artisanal mining is as commonplace as farming in many parts of Congo. Photo: Bloomberg Photo By William Clowes Digging for cobalt riches: Congo races to fix a deadly problem 1 / 1 Back to Gallery The man was digging a toilet in his backyard when his shovel struck a shimmering blue vein of cobalt. At least that's the legend in Kolwezi. Once a few locals … [Read more...] about Digging for cobalt riches: Congo races to fix a deadly problem