Independent News Express

Tag: DR Congo

  • UN Warns of Worsening Humanitarian And Human Rights Crisis In Eastern DR Congo

    UN Warns of Worsening Humanitarian And Human Rights Crisis In Eastern DR Congo

    The rebels have already seized the provincial capital, Goma, and reports indicate that they are closing in on the key city of Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province.

    The hostilities are occurring in a mineral-rich region that has been volatile for decades amid a proliferation of armed groups, which has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes over the years and seek safety in displacement camps.

    Critical supplies dwindling

    UN humanitarians warn that the situation continue to worsen for civilians likely trapped by days of intense fighting in and around Goma, which has a population of over one million.

    Displacement camps on the city’s outskirts, previously hosting more than 300,000 people, are emptying out as people flee the violence. Medical services are overwhelmed by the number of injured, both civilians and military personnel.

    The World Food Programme (WFP) said water and food are running low, and the next 24 hours are crucial.

    “People are really running out of food, clean water, medical supplies and that’s a big concern. So, the supply chain has really been strangled at the moment,” said WFP Spokesperson Shelley Thakral.

    Several WFP warehouses have been looted and teams are taking stock of what they will need to procure locally and transfer by road to ensure they have provisions once operations resume in the critically affected areas.

    WFP’s priority is keeping its staff and their dependents safe, and only critical staff remain in the area who are getting ready to resume operations as soon security permits.

    Summary executions and sexual violence

    Meanwhile, the human rights crisis also continues to deepen in the east.  

    At least two sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been bombed, causing civilian casualties, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported.

    Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said OHCHR has documented summary executions of at least 12 people by the M23 between 26 and 28 January.

    The Office has also documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence by the army and allied Wazalendo fighters in Kalehe territory, located in South Kivu.  

    It is also verifying reports that 52 women were raped by Congolese troops in South Kivu, including alleged reports of gangrape.

    Violations could worsen

    Meanwhile, in other areas under M23 control in South Kivu, such as Minova, fighters have occupied schools and hospitals, forced IDPs out of camps and subjected the civilian population to forced conscription and forced labour.

    Additionally, DRC officials report that at least 165 women were raped by male inmates during the mass prison break from Goma’s Muzenze prison on 27 January, as M23 began its assault on the town.

    Mr. Laurence recalled that conflict-related sexual violence has been an appalling feature of armed conflict in eastern DRC for decades, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, “is particularly concerned that this latest escalation risks deepening the risk of conflict-related sexual violence much further.“

    End the violence

    He said OHCHR continues to receive urgent requests from civilians for protection and is working with UN colleagues and other partners to ensure their safety. 

    “As M23 reportedly advances towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, the High Commissioner calls for an end to the violence and for all parties to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” he said.

    Recognize the crisis

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) also voiced deep concern over the hundreds of thousands of civilians uprooted by the heavy fighting and violence in Goma, some of whom were already previously displaced.

    IOM appealed to the international community to recognize the staggering scale of the crisis and support the humanitarian response. 

    “With the current alarming upsurge in fighting, an already dire situation is rapidly becoming very much worse,” said Director General Amy Pope. 

    “IOM joins the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and full humanitarian access, so that we can rapidly scale up our response and ensure that life-saving aid reaches those in need.”   

    Appeal for support

    The UN agency has been supporting displaced and host communities in Goma and surrounding areas by providing emergency shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance, among other aid.

    IOM warned, however, that both the agency and humanitarian partners are struggling to meet the urgent needs in the DRC.

    This year, humanitarians are seeking $2.5 billion for the country, with at least $50 million urgently needed to address the latest displacement, scale-up life-saving assistance, and prevent further suffering.

  • Nearly 120,000 Children Displaced As Violence Escalates In Eastern DRC

    Nearly 120,000 Children Displaced As Violence Escalates In Eastern DRC

    About 120,000 children have been forced from their homes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the start of the year as a wave of horrifying violence hits villages [1] with some children becoming separated from their parents and one town cut off, said Save the Children.  

    On Sunday, several bombs exploded in the town of Chebumba, killing at least two adults and wounding four children. The town of Minova in South Kivu, where Save the Children operates through partners, was attacked on Tuesday and routes out of the town cut off and access for humanitarian aid blocked. Staff reported children injured and unaccompanied children desperately searching for their parents.

    David Okoni* works at a Save the Children partner organisation which operates in the town of Minova, 45km from Goma city. On Tuesday heaving fighting took place in the town. David said:

    “Around 5:00 AM, gunfire started echoing through Minova, sending people fleeing in all directions. Most were already displaced people having previously fled conflicts and were sheltering in Minova. Many attempted to reach Goma across the lake, but as boats stopped operating, people were left stranded without adequate shelter, and forced to sleep in schools, under the open sky, and even in a warehouse.  

    “The situation is dire. Parents have no food or clean water for their children, and those wounded by bullets remain without medical care as healthcare workers have also fled to save their lives. Our staff have already encountered unaccompanied and separated children desperately searching for their parents, though the full extent of the crisis is still unknown.

    “Currently, there is no access to the area as boats are no longer crossing the lake. It is urgent that civilians who wish to leave can do so, and that humanitarian aid can reach the displaced families who are in desperate need of assistance.” 

    The eastern provinces of North and South Kivu are home to more than 4.6 million displaced people,and have witnessed an intense increase in fighting since the start of 2025.  More than 230,000 people have been newly displaced, according to the United Nations,  with a spike in violence over the past week in the towns of Bweremana and Minova. According to the UN, some 113 people have been injured and hospitalised in various health facilities around Goma as the violence continues. 

    Conflict in DRC has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with nearly 7 million people, including at least 3.5 million children, displaced and more than 26 million people – or one in every four people – in need of humanitarian assistance.  

    Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director for DRC said:  

    “Children are getting caught in the crossfire and time is running out for them. Humanitarian access has been blocked to the already vulnerable populations.

    We urge all parties involved in the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access. We reiterate our call on the international community to take immediate actions to address the rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis in the DRC. This includes providing emergency assistance to those displaced, supporting efforts to protect civilians and working towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.” 

    Save the Children has worked in DRC since 1994 to meet humanitarian needs linked to the arrival of refugees and the displacement of populations due to armed conflict in eastern provinces. Save the Children has scaled up its humanitarian response to support existing care systems, training local leaders and communities to prevent and respond to exploitation and abuse, and ensuring access to healthcare through mobile clinics. It is also helping children access basic education by building classrooms, training teachers, and distributing learning materials.  

    In Minova, South Kivu, Save the Children delivers essential food assistance, livelihood opportunities, protection services, and educational support in partnership with national organizations. Additionally, the organization implements health, nutrition, water and sanitation activities through a consortium project. 

  • Swiss President, Berset To Visit DR Congo

    In view of Switzerland’s ongoing efforts to support to the Great Lakes Region and its seat on the UN Security Council, President Alain Berset will be visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On 13 April, he will meet with President Félix Tshisekedi.

    In addition to bilateral relations, topics of discussion will focus on the UN Mission for Stabilisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), to which Switzerland deploys police forces and deminers.

    The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa. Switzerland’s efforts to promote peace and sustainable development in the Great Lakes Region include a regional programme and humanitarian aid, development cooperation and peacebuilding instruments.

    Established in 1999, MONUSCO is currently one of the UN’s largest peacekeeping missions. It faces a challenging operational environment and is occasionally targeted by disinformation campaigns. In December, the UN Security Council extended the mission for a further year. The meeting with President Tshisekedi will be an opportunity to take stock of the situation and to discuss the UN mission’s medium-term orientation and the difficult security situation in eastern Congo.

    Mr Berset will then travel to Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Discussions will focus on MONUSCO’s tasks and on the protection of the civilian population in conflict areas.

    In mid-May, Mr Berset will chair a UN Security Council meeting on this topic. After the presidential visit to Mozambique in February, Mr Berset’s visit to the DRC is the second to take place in this context. The purpose of these trips is to exchange views with authorities at different levels, international organisations and NGOs.

    During his visit to the DRC, Mr Berset will also meet with Swiss forces deployed to MONUSCO. In Bukavu, the capital of the eastern province of South Kivu, he will meet with regional authorities and partner organisations to discuss projects supported by Switzerland. A meeting is also scheduled to take place with Dr Denis Mukwege, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

  • How People Walked Nine Days To See Pope Francis In South Sudan

    How People Walked Nine Days To See Pope Francis In South Sudan

    People are descending on South Sudan’s capital, Juba, in order to welcome Pope Francis when he arrives on Friday.

    He will be travelling from the Democratic Republic of Congo with a message of peace for the conflict-ridden country.

    The BBC met a group of Catholics who had walked for nine days from Rumbek – some 300km (190 miles) north-west of Juba.

    “When the spirit is with you, you do not get tired. We are here to get the blessings of the Pope. I am confident that with his blessings, things will change for this country,” one woman told the BBC.

    South Sudan has been fractured by civil war and political instability since gaining independence in 2011.

    The Church is seen as a symbol of hope by many. It is where many sought refuge when war broke out.

    The people are confident that the pontiff’s presence will change the tide for their country.

    “He is a prophet and whatever he prays in the next few days, while on our soil, will come to pass. Things will be different. We are going to be one people.”

    In 2019 the Pope kissed the feet of South Sudan’s bitter political rivals President Salva Kiir and his deputy Riek Machar when they met at the Vatican. An act that shocked many, even if it did not end the fighting.

    The Pope is due to spend three days in the country and will hold a Mass on Sunday.

    He will be in South Sudan with two other Christian leaders – from the Anglican and Presbyterian churches.

    Source: BBC

  • Climate Activists Intensify Calls To Halt Oil & Gas Exploration In DR Congo, Seek Pope’s Support

    Climate Activists Intensify Calls To Halt Oil & Gas Exploration In DR Congo, Seek Pope’s Support

    Climate activists are deepening calls for a halt to plans for oil and gas exploration in Democratic Republic of Congo and seeking the Pope’s support in this, as he embarks on a visit to the country.

    The activists have been opposing oil exploration activities in the Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park, as well as the recent plans by the government to auction oil and gas blocks, some of which fall in sensitive areas in the DRC.

    They cite the grave risks posed by oil exploration activities to the environment, endangered species of wildlife, and the livelihoods of local communities. Pope Francis, who is on a 4-day visit to the country, is an advocate for environmental justice who has been consistent in calling for urgent climate action, the abandonment of fossil fuels and a transition to renewable energy.

    Bonaventure Bondo, Climate activist in Kinshasa, DRC said, “We are concerned by our government’s continued push for expansion of fossil fuel exploration in our country, which will come at great cost to our environment, wildlife, our communities and the climate. Our protected areas are under threat – from the oil exploration activities in Virunga National Park, to the oil and gas blocks that the government is auctioning off in the Congo basin. This comes at a time when all the signs point to the urgent need to shift away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, to contain global heating and avert catastrophic climate impacts. We appeal to Pope Francis, to engage our government on this very crucial matter, to call for the stop to these fossil fuel projects and the prioritization of renewable energy.”

    Ashley Kitisya, Fossil Fuel Free Campaigner Laudato Si Movement said: “Pope Francis in Laudato Si shares, ‘There is an urgent need to develop policies so that, in the next few years, the emission of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gasses can be drastically reduced, for example, substituting for fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy.’ The exploration of oil and gas in DRC sets us on the path of more climate catastrophes that will disproportionately affect the poor. We therefore come together to call for the end of unjust actions to profit a handful of people. Instead, we call for a transition away from fossil fuels and the use of clean, renewable energy that primarily addresses the needs of local communities and economies.”

  • African Energy Chamber Backs DR Congo Move To Choose Symbion Power To Develop Biogas-to-Power

    African Energy Chamber Backs DR Congo Move To Choose Symbion Power To Develop Biogas-to-Power

    BY ALIU ADEJOKE OLUWATOYIN

    The Ministry of Hydrocarbons of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), under the leadership of H.E. Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, has selected U.S. power engineering and construction firm, Symbion Power, as the winner of a tender for the development of the Makelele biogas project in Lake Kivu in the eastern part of the country.

    The project will include over $300 million in investment for the development of a 60 MW gas-to-electricity system to connect consumers in Goma and the North and South of Kivu provinces via existing trading hubs.

    The African Energy Chamber (AEC), as the voice of the African energy sector, congratulates and strongly supports the DRC and H.E Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga for the milestone achieved, recognizing this development as a critical step to unlocking a new era of energy resilience and industry growth on the back of biogas development and exploitation.

    With the DRC targeting to increase energy access from current levels of 10% to approximately 32% by 2030, the Makelele biogas project will play a crucial role in helping the country realize its electrification goals. With Lake Kivu’s biogas potential relatively high – estimated at approximately 700 MW of electricity over a period of 50 years – the Makelele biogas initiative will help strengthen the DRC’s energy sector by opening up new opportunities for power generation and sustainable development for decades to come.

    “At the AEC, we believe that gas is the future for Africa. Representing both a clean and widely available energy resources, gas will be key for unlocking new opportunities across the power generation, industrialization and broader economic space. This project represents just the start of the DRC’s gas journey and we are looking forward to a suite of new opportunities to be launched as a result,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

    With the DRC seeking to attract international energy companies, drive investment and private sector participation to maximize energy production, the Makelele biogas development is a step in the right direction regarding DRC-global partnerships, and is set to capitalize on the country’s largely untapped energy potential while serving as a blueprint for the DRC’s biogas industry. On the local content front, H.E. Minister Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga is prioritizing capacity development to ensure local companies and economies benefit from energy sector growth, with the Makelele biogas initiative advancing the country’s workforce development and capacity building further by creating new opportunities for employment as well as the expansion of related industries such as manufacturing and construction.

    What’s more, with the southern and central African regions continuing to struggle with chronic electricity shortages and high prices, Symbion Power’s proposal to develop a regional transmission line to trade electricity from the Makelele biogas project across the region represents good news for African countries. In this regard, the AEC commends Symbion and the DRC government, recognizing the role this project is set to play in opening up Africa’s wider power market as nations move to make energy poverty history by 2030.

    “The DRC is seeking to boost energy market stability to address access and affordability issues while supporting economic growth. The Chamber believes that gas holds the ticket for the country to achieve energy security. We commend H.E Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga’s move to drive biogas industry development to meet both the country and region’s energy demand growth,” concluded Ayuk.

  • Protesters In DR Congo Voice Out Anger Against United Nations

     

    BY ONWORDI MOSES CHIAZOR with agency report

    Police in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo have clashed with demonstrators on a third day of violent anti-UN protests.

    At least 17 people including three members of the UN peacekeeping force have been killed, officials say.

    Protests erupted in the town of Goma as people accused the UN of failing to contain violence by armed groups.

    The UN warns attacks on its mission, on the ground for more than two decades, may constitute a war crime.

    Attacks were made on two of its bases, in Goma and in Butembo, where two Indian peacekeepers and a third member of the UN force were killed.

    More than 50 people have been injured since the clashes began on Monday. On Wednesday, protesters again targeted UN bases in the region.

    A spokesman said UN Secretary-General António Guterres had called on the Congolese authorities to investigate the incidents.

    A UN helicopter in Goma, 26 July

    The UN blamed the violence and looting of its property on criminals pretending to be protesters.

    It said they had seized weapons from local police and opened fire.

    “Mobs are throwing stones and petrol bombs, breaking into bases, looting and vandalising, and setting facilities on fire,” said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for Mr Guterres, in a statement.

    “The situation is very volatile and reinforcements are being mobilised. Our quick reaction forces are on high alert and have been advised to exercise maximum restraint, using tear gas to disperse protestors and only firing warning shots when UN personnel or property are under attack.”

    Congolese troops were helping protect UN facilities, Mr Haq added.

    Local police have also accused some members of armed groups of infiltrating the protests to incite hatred of the peacekeepers, whose force is officially known as Monusco.

    The DR Congo’s army is battling both the M23 armed movement and the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), a group affiliated with so-called Islamic State, and many other militias.

    Anger is widespread over the UN’s failure to halt violence by armed groups operating in the mineral-rich east.

    “They are tear-gassing us because we came to say that Monusco does not help us,” protester Anselme Musimbwa told the Reuters news agency in Goma on Tuesday.

    “They’ve been in Congo for 22 years and nothing works.”

    Fellow protester Jack Sinzahera said: “We have our own police that will look after our security and property. We don’t want anything to do with Monusco.”

    UN peacekeepers have often been targeted by rebels in DR Congo and have often faced accusations of failing to protect civilians – criticism the UN has always dismissed.

    But the latest protests pose a serious complication for the UN’s largest and most heavily funded peacekeeping mission.