Perverse effects of conflict minerals initiatives in Congo remind us of how inaccurate narratives fuel the very problems they pretend to tackle

Perverse effects of conflict minerals initiatives in Congo remind us of how inaccurate narratives fuel the very problems they pretend to tackle

Natural resources do play an important role for both eastern DRC and Rwanda’s political economy, and it is true that the return of the M23 in 2021 correlates with a sharp rise in Rwanda’s mineral exports, as per official statistics.

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In the fog of season’s end: Fears rise Kenya’s largest political party and corruption bulwark, ODM, is in self-termination mode

In the fog of season’s end: Fears rise Kenya’s largest political party and corruption bulwark, ODM, is in self-termination mode

During the party’s meeting in Kakamega, the long-suppressed ethnic tensions boiled over as Luhyias accused Luos of marginalising them and utter disrespect despite the community contributing immensely to Raila Odinga’s vote basket in four successive presidential elections he failed to win. Instead of harmony, dissatisfaction and grumbling took centre-stage as the party prepares to celebrate 20 years since formation in the wake of the 2005 constitution referendum outcome.

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Masking rifts: How government workers’ fear of Elon Musk’s source of discord in Trump’s inner circle

Masking rifts: How government workers’ fear of Elon Musk’s source of discord in Trump’s inner circle

In the space of a couple of weeks, Elon Musk and his associates have taken control of multiple government agencies, and a cadre of young and inexperienced engineers with ties to Musk have been given access to some of the most highly sensitive federal systems through DOGE.

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Staying humble: Arsenal thumping of Man City 5-1 only helped expose need for Gunners to sign a clinical striker

Staying humble: Arsenal thumping of Man City 5-1 only helped expose need for Gunners to sign a clinical striker

In some respects, this Havertz performance demonstrated the complexity of Arsenal’s striker situation. The biggest talking point of the first half, aside from Odegaard’s early goal, was the chance to make it 2-0 that Havertz spurned. Arsenal could have a more clinical No 9. It’s remarkable that, in Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, they have ended up with two centre-forwards who share a common and crucial weakness: finishing. With Jesus now sidelined, Arsenal have spent much of the winter window chasing a new centre-forward.

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Insurgency in eastern Congo echoes dangers of constitutionally manufacturing ‘indigenous’ Banyarwanda tribe in Uganda in wider Museveni-Kagame plot to create Chwezi superstrate

Whether they are in Uganda, Rwanda, DRC or Burundi, they take themselves as one and the same with the same interest: survival as a small group in a sea of indigenous Bantu and Nilotic groups. To survive in modern times they must capture every civic space, conquer the natives, exclude them from resources, divide them, make laws that create fear in them and prevent them from organising themselves politically and effectively. They control the electoral process in their favour, subordinate the civil to the military and rule them with an iron hand.

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South African opposition accuse President Ramaphosa of poor leadership after M23 rebels kill 13 soldiers

South African opposition accuse President Ramaphosa of poor leadership after M23 rebels kill 13 soldiers

Brett Herron, Secretary General of the GOOD Party, on Tuesday echoed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in vigorously condemning the offensive on the North Kivu regional capital of Goma by the M23 rebels and the support given to them by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).

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Row between Ramaphosa and Rwanda’s Kagame over Congo losses exposes limit of South Africa’s diplomatic ambitions

Row between Ramaphosa and Rwanda’s Kagame over Congo losses exposes limit of South Africa’s diplomatic ambitions

The slow decline over the past decade of South Africa’s military capability has led to previous failures in other peace enforcement efforts on the continent including in Central African Republic and, more recently, Mozambique.

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Why West is unable to rein in Rwanda’s with economic sanctions to force its army out of eastern Congo

Why West is unable to rein in Rwanda’s with economic sanctions to force its army out of eastern Congo

The United States disbursed $180 million in foreign aid to Rwanda in 2023. The World Bank’s International Development Association provided nearly $221 million the same year. And in the years ahead, the European Union has pledged to invest over $900 million in Rwanda under the Global Gateway strategy, its response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

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Fall of Goma is game-changer: World powers’ reluctance to take on Rwanda means it’s going to be harder to push back M23 from Congo

Fall of Goma is game-changer: World powers’ reluctance to take on Rwanda means it’s going to be harder to push back M23 from Congo

A reluctance by world powers to take on Rwanda, other global distractions and on-the-ground military realities will complicate efforts to defeat the rebels in Goma and across eastern Congo and allow millions of civilians, like Nzambonimpa, to return to their homes, analysts and diplomats say.

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Small businesses worry Trump’s next regime will be corrupt, controlled by crooks and the little guy is guaranteed losses

Small businesses worry Trump’s next regime will be corrupt, controlled by crooks and the little guy is guaranteed losses

Take Trump’s promised tariff war. Under the new round of tariffs, economists warned, only the biggest businesses – those with the connections to flatter Trump and the resources to hire lobbyists – will be the big winners.

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