Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Military & Security

President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi pressed ahead with a major overhaul of the country's military leadership, Radio France Internationale reported on Dec. 19. 

Congo: President Tshisekedi Overhauls Military Leadership

Politics

A meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame aimed at deescalating the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was canceled after Kagame refused to attend the meeting, Reuters reported on Dec. 15.

Rwanda, Congo: Heads of State Meeting Canceled Over Disagreement on M23-Congo Talks

Sub-Saharan Africa

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Economics

U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that the United States would provide an additional $600 million in financing to support the development of the Lobito Corridor, which will connect Zambia's Copperbelt to the Atlantic Ocean, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 4.

U.S., Africa: Biden Confirms $600M in New Financing for Lobito Corridor

Equatorial Guinea

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Energy

OPEC+ countries agreed to delay the phase-out of 2.2 million barrels of oil per day of production cuts from Jan. 1, 2025, until April 1 and to phase those cuts out over 18 months instead of the originally planned 12 months, Argus Media reported on Dec. 5. 

OPEC+: Members To Delay Boosting Oil Production for Third Time

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda agreed to begin implementing a peace plan aimed at de-escalating tensions in eastern Congo, Jeune Afrique reported Nov. 26.

Congo, Rwanda: Countries Agree to Advance Peace Process 

Congolese opposition figures including Moise Katumbi, Martin Fayulu and former President Joseph Kabila announced that they were forming a new coalition to oppose President Felix Tshisekedi's proposed constitutional changes, Jeune Afrique reported on Nov. 20.

Congo: Opposition Unites Against Proposed Constitutional Changes

Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and other OPEC+ participants will delay the start of their planned unwinding of 2.2 million barrels per day in voluntary oil production cuts from Dec. 1 to the end of December, OPEC announced in a Nov. 3 press release. 

OPEC+: Unwinding of Voluntary Production Cuts Delayed by One Month

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi announced plans to amend the country's constitution, Radio France Internationale reported on Oct. 24.

Congo: Tshisekedi Announces Plans To Amend Constitution

Media

Podcasts

What is the future trajectory of the peace process?

Essential Geopolitics: Implications of Cancelled Peace Talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

Assessments

South Korea

Germany

A sign reading ''leader of insurgents'' on a photo of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's face is held up during a protest calling for Yoon's ouster in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 8, 2024. 

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Putin's Annual Press Conference, Another Impeachment Vote in South Korea

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U.S. President Joe Biden and President Joao Lourenco of Angola on Nov. 30, 2023, at the White House. Biden on Dec. 2-4 will visit Angola, where he will focus on the Lobito Corridor project that aims to refurbish and expand railways connecting critical mineral-rich regions in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo with the Angolan port of Lobito.

U.S.-China Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Biden Visits Angola, von der Leyen's Second Term

Workers move batches of copper sheets on July 6, 2016, in Mufulira, Zambia. Zambia's copper output will likely steadily increase by the late 2020s on the back of a more stable tax environment and a global rush for critical minerals, but the country faces an uphill battle to meet its 2032 copper production target.

Zambia's copper output will likely steadily increase by the late 2020s on the back of a more stable tax environment and a global rush for critical minerals, but the country faces an uphill battle to meet its 2032 copper production target.

Zambia Banks on the Green Rush for Copper 

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France

Yael Braun-Pivet, a French lawmaker for the ruling Renaissance party, delivers a speech after being reelected as National Assembly president following the third round of voting on July 18, 2024.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: France Resumes Political Horse-Trading, Blinken Returns to Middle East

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Ethiopia

Ghana

Kenya

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (R) speaks as Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (L), chair of the African Union, listens during a joint press conference following the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in Goyang, South Korea, on June 4, 2024.

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

A recent summit highlights South Korea's commitment to expanding its role in Africa as Yoon looks to strengthen his country's technological future and geopolitical influence.

In South Korea, Yoon's Desire for Supply Chains and Prestige Points to Africa

Argentina

Bolivia

Peru

Spain

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his wife, Begona Gomez, arrive Oct. 5, 2023, at the Carlos V Palace at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Sanchez is expected to make an announcement about his political future on April 29 following his surprise decision April 25 to suspend public appearances after a court in Madrid announced an investigation into his wife for alleged influence-peddling and corruption.

The Weekly Rundown: South American Foreign Ministers Visit China, the Spanish Premier Announces His Political Future

Congolese soldiers sit in a military vehicle in Kamanyola, a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on Feb. 28, 2024. 

The intensifying fight against M23 rebels in eastern Congo risks triggering border clashes with Rwanda that could threaten Congolese President Tshisekedi's government and risk disrupting Congo's cobalt exports.

Where Is the Conflict in Eastern Congo Headed?

Senegal

Europe

Displaced Palestinians camp near the fence separating the Gaza Strip from Egypt on Feb. 16, 2024, in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Egypt will continue to prepare a contingency plan in case Palestinians cross the Egypt-Gaza border amid growing signs that the Rafah offensive could start as early as this week.

The Weekly Rundown: Egypt Plans for a Palestinian Influx, African Union Heads of State Meet

Chad

Chile

Japan

A man holds a handout in support of Chile’s proposed new constitution on Dec. 6, 2023, in Santiago.

The Weekly Rundown: A Japan-ASEAN Summit, Constitutional Referendums in Chile and Chad

Supporters of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's ruling Sacred Union coalition gather at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa on April 29, 2023.

Amid instability in the east, election interference and disunity, the Congo's opposition parties will struggle to gain a foothold during the country's December general elections.

In Congo, President Tshisekedi Looks to Secure a Second Term

Netherlands

The presidential candidate for the Union por la Patria party, Sergio Massa (R), speaks next to the presidential candidate for the La Libertad Avanza party, Javier Milei, on Nov. 12, 2023, during a presidential debate in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentina will hold the second round of its presidential election Nov. 19.

The Weekly Rundown: Argentina's Presidential Runoff, the Registration Deadline for the Taiwanese Presidential Race

<p>The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a massive country in Central Africa. It is bordered by the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; and the Republic of the Congo to the west. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is roughly the size of Western Europe, and much of its territory is covered by dense jungle and is difficult to navigate. Its mammoth size and position in Central Africa have long drawn interest from outsiders. From the French and Belgian imperial conquests of the Congo River in the 19th and early 20th centuries to Cold War superpower intrigue and regional wars in the post-independence period, the country has attracted more than its fair share of foreign meddling. Since independence, the country has struggled to manage its extensive territories and its ethnic and regional divisions. It can be said that under the best of circumstances, the country is weak and prone to internal cleavages. Kinshasa, the political capital, simply does not have the resources to exercise a monopoly on force. By extension, the country&#39;s infrastructure remains woefully underdeveloped. Instead, the decades since independence have seen countless rebellions and other forms of insurrection in Katanga and other regions. Given this instability, the country&#39;s deep pockets of natural resources and its security vacuums have made it an attractive place for neighboring states and foreign powers to intrude. In regional terms, this has included Rwanda, Uganda and many other states over the years, and the United States and the Soviet Union fought for influence there after 1960. Additionally, the U.N. presence in the Congo is one of the longest-running operations for the international organization, tracing its origins back to 1960. The country&#39;s unwieldy size and difficult terrain profoundly constrain any movement beyond its status as a failed state. As such, it will remain a source of interest and concern for states near and far for many years to come.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Congo: President Tshisekedi Overhauls Military Leadership

Rwanda, Congo: Heads of State Meeting Canceled Over Disagreement on M23-Congo Talks

U.S., Africa: Biden Confirms $600M in New Financing for Lobito Corridor

OPEC+: Members To Delay Boosting Oil Production for Third Time

Congo, Rwanda: Countries Agree to Advance Peace Process

Congo: Opposition Unites Against Proposed Constitutional Changes

OPEC+: Unwinding of Voluntary Production Cuts Delayed by One Month

Congo: Tshisekedi Announces Plans To Amend Constitution

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