US EditionACROSS AFRICA | The historical fissures of DR Congo's M23 Crisis
- In April last year, the M23 rebels seized the Rubaya artisanal coltan mining site in eastern Congo and began imposing taxes on the trade and transport of coltan.
- This seizure followed decades of conflict in eastern Congo involving government and armed groups, with M23's resurgence escalating violence and worsening the humanitarian crisis.
- M23 generates at least $800,000 monthly from taxing about 120 tonnes of coltan, while Congo produced 40% of the world's coltan in 2023, making these mines critical economic assets.
- A miner stated, "I earn $40 a month, but that’s not enough," highlighting miners' struggles amid a murky global coltan supply chain involving numerous armed groups.
- The conflict displaced over 7 million people and intensified food insecurity, while analysts warn that proposed mineral deals to stabilize the region will face major challenges.
82 Articles
82 Articles
DR Congo offers $5M reward for rebel leaders amid ongoing conflict
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has announced a $5 million reward for the capture of three M23 rebel leaders, including former electoral chief Corneille Nangaa, military commander Sultani Makenga, and political leader Bertrand Bisimwa. The trio was sentenced to death in absentia.
Associated Press News
Congo's coltan miners dig for world's tech — and struggle regardless of who is in charge
Nestled in the green hills of Masisi territory in Congo, the artisanal Rubaya mining site hums with the sound of generators, as hundreds of men labor by hand to extract coltan, a key mineral crucial for producing modern electronics and defense technology.
"Le Point" went to North Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a region rich in strategic resources that was torn apart by a conflict that killed 6 million people in 30 years.
Called to the rescue by Kinshasa to combat armed groups, the Ugandan military deployed in the province of Ituri. In the city of Bunia, the inhabitants oscillate between mistrust and relief.
There is no peace in East Congo yet. However, many people return to their home villages. Jan Egeland, head of the aid organization NRC, recently visited the region – and sees an opportunity.
A video relaying false statements by two French journalists and the leader of the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was seen by more than a hundred thousand people on social networks, and a denial was written by RFI.
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