00 days

00 hours

00 mins

00 secs

Special offer: -15%15% OFF your subscription

Consult our offers

Your account has been succesfully created.

EN FR

Scroll through edition

The Morning Brief
Log in

Password

Keep me logged in

Forgot your password?
Subscribe

Spotlight | DRC
Rubaya mine at heart of vast coltan trafficking network

Edouard Mwangachuchu, founder and former director of SMB, in the mining territory of Masisi, in 2011 © Zuma/REA

Tonnes of the strategic mineral coltan are being extracted and exported illegally from mines owned by the family of MP Edouard Mwangachuchu Hizi, who is currently being tried by a military court. Armed groups have been trafficking the mineral, allegedly with the complicity of the security forces. [...]

Published on 06/07/2023 at 04:40 GMT Reading time 5 minutes Olivier Liffran, Joan Tilouine

This article may be accessed by subscribers

In order to ensure high-quality and independent journalism, Africa Intelligence relies solely on subscriptions from its readers, with no advertising, no events and no consulting work.

Several offers are available depending on your particular reading needs

Consult our offers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

Discover our work by making use of the following possibilities: daily newsletters, a selection of free articles, keyword alerts.

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

create a free account

15% OFF your subscription

Special offer: Only 9d and 14h to take advantage of it

Consult our offers

This offer is open to all new subscribers and runs until 19/12/2025

DRC
The advance of M23 frustrates DRC Gold Trading's plans

State-owned DRC Gold Trading, which aims to combat gold smuggling in the east of the country, has been hit hard by the expansion of the area controlled by M23 rebels.

Subscribers only Mining 11.03.2025

Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa seeks to eliminate M23 political wing under Corneille Nangaa

The activities of the DRC's former electoral commission boss, who is now the political face of the eastern rebellion, are alarming the Tshisekedi administration, which planned to have him killed in late 2023.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 25.04.2024

Corneille Nangaa during a press conference at the HQ of the independent electoral commission CENI in Kinshasa on 20 December 2018.

Spotlight | DRC
Illegal coltan mining intensifies in North Kivu

As the DR Congo security forces' battle against M23 rebels continues, illegal coltan mining is on the increase at the Rubaya mining sites in North Kivu province. Armed groups, generals and politicians are all getting a piece of the pie.

Subscribers only Mining 05.03.2024

DRC
Copper theft scandal rocks Haut-Katanga governorate

President Tshisekedi has been called upon to intervene in the conflict between the governor of this southern province and one of his former ministers, who have accused each other of masterminding a $1m copper robbery.

Subscribers only Mining, Politics 22.08.2023

DRC
Kazakh miner ERG clashes with presidential family in Lualaba

In June, the army conducted investigations to find out who is behind the artisanal diggers working on ERG's mining permits. The names of presidential family members and a cooperative belonging to Lualaba province's acting governor came up during on-site interviews.

Subscribers only Mining 28.07.2023

ERG CEO Benedikt Sobotka and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.

Inner circles | DRC
Jean-Pierre Bemba determined to make his mark at defence

The new defence minister will have his work cut out strengthening the Congolese army, not least because some of his ministry's prerogatives have been allocated to the president's closest allies. To consolidate his influence, Jean-Pierre Bemba will have to play hardball within the government.

Subscribers only Defence 21.07.2023

The Congolese defence minister Jean-Pierre Bemba in Kinshasa in June 2019.

Palace Intrigues
MbZ, Félix Tshisekedi, Alassane Ouattara, Qin Gang, Gims

Intrigues big and small: every Tuesday, Africa Intelligence takes a peek into the corridors of power in Africa and beyond.

DRC MbZ to visit Kinshasa on 15 August

Ivory Coast Ouattara's Houphouët-Boigny Museum plans

Kenya Short of time, Chinese diplomacy head arranges meet with Ruto in Johannesburg

Morocco Singer Gims jets around in VIP Falcon

Subscribers only Business, Diplomacy 18.07.2023

DRC
UN report: experts again criticise Kigali's ongoing support for M23

Breaking news published on 18/06/23, 21.00 - A new publication by the UN group of experts on DRC has concluded that Kigali has continued to back M23 rebels in DR Congo, despite condemnations from Western governments over its involvement with the armed group.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 18.06.2023

Spotlight | DRC
Abu Dhabi's grand gold and coltan designs in the DRC

Felix Tshisekedi's private office is radically overhauling the Congolese mining sector while putting the finishing touches to an unprecedented partnership with the United Arab Emirates, which has expressed an interest in a dozen mining permits.

Subscribers only Mining 06.04.2023

United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi.

In Focus | DRC, Rwanda
As fight against M23 continues, Kigali and Kinshasa wage war of intelligence

Faced with Kinshasa's accusations of support for the M23 by Kigali, Rwandan intelligence has been documenting collusion between the Congolese army and the FDLR rebel militias for several months. In this battle of narratives, each side is sharing their classified information with Western capitals.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 13.03.2023

Intelligence reports are also used as weapons of war in the M23 crisis between Rwanda and the DRC.

DRC, Rwanda
DRC/Rwanda: latest UN report gets behind-the-scenes of the proxy war

The recent report by the UN group of experts looks into allegations that the Congolese army is collaborating with the Mai-Mai and the FDLR in its battle against the M23, which has made considerable territorial gains of late.

Subscribers only Defence 22.12.2022

15% OFF your subscription

Special offer: Only 9d and 14h to take advantage of it

Consult our offers

This offer is open to all new subscribers and runs until 19/12/2025