The acting head of MONUSCO, Vivian van de Perre, continued her visit to Goma, the capital of North Kivu, where she met with AFC/M23 leaders on Friday, 13 February 2026, to discuss the implementation of the joint ceasefire verification mechanism resulting from the declaration of principles signed in Doha.

In accordance with the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, the UN mission is to contribute to monitoring the ceasefire in the east of the country. An aerial reconnaissance mission is announced in the coming days in Uvira, South Kivu, as a prelude to a possible deployment of peacekeepers to support verification on the ground.

The day before, Vivian van de Perre had already announced an initial aerial reconnaissance mission to Uvira, in South Kivu. This preliminary step could pave the way, in the coming days, for the targeted deployment of peacekeepers tasked with supporting the verification of compliance with the ceasefire on the ground.

"It is essential that the commitments made in this agreement are quickly translated into clear, credible and verifiable operational provisions on the ground, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2808," said Viviane Van Pierre at a press conference in Goma.

This visit, conducted after consultation with the Congolese authorities, is a key operational step in the military de-escalation process and provides for exchanges with the various stakeholders in order to clarify the practical details of this mechanism.

Meanwhile, in Kinshasa, the Congolese presidency announced on the same Friday that it had accepted the principle of a ceasefire in the east of the country. This decision is part of an initiative led by João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and current Chair of the African Union, aimed at promoting a lasting return to peace in the Great Lakes region.

In its statement, the Congolese presidency specified that this agreement is an extension of the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism signed on 14 October 2025 in Doha, which is intended to guarantee an effective cessation of hostilities, a freeze on military positions and the protection of civilian populations.

Written by Akilimali Chomachoma

The Minister of Foreign Trade, Julien Paluku Kahongya, has suspended the Director General of the Congolese Control Office (OCC), Étienne Tshimanga Mutombo, as a precautionary measure. According to the ministerial decree signed on Monday 16 February 2026, the minister accuses the Director General of the OCC of serious management errors, in particular the installation of a parallel computer system for controlling imports and exports, as well as facilitating the fraudulent use of false Verification Certificates (AV).

Étienne Tshimanga Mutombo is accused of setting up a parallel computer system, causing significant financial damage for the 2025 financial year. He is also accused of irresponsible human resources management, jeopardizing the functioning of the Office.

The precautionary suspension paves the way for administrative measures and possible extra-administrative proceedings. These could concern not only the suspended Director General, but also OCC agents or executives suspected of complicity in the alleged offences.

During this suspension, the Deputy Director General, Christelle Mwabilu, will serve as interim head of the OCC. The ministry also announced the establishment of a recovery commission to clean up the OCC's management.

"An OCC recovery commission was formed on Tuesday, 17 February, by decree. It will be funded by the ministry's budget and not by the OCC," said the Minister of Trade on his X account.

Beyond individual responsibilities, the case highlights a flaw in the national system for securing foreign trade.

The OCC plays a key role in certifying goods, protecting consumers and mobilizing revenue from trade flows. Any failure in its system weakens not only public finances but also the confidence of economic partners.

For economic operators, this turning point could mark the beginning of a long-awaited clean-up. Provided that the announced reforms are quickly translated into transparent and reliable mechanisms capable of protecting state revenues and securing Congolese foreign trade in the long term.

Through the Treasury Department, the United States has announced a new series of sanctions targeting senior officials in the Rwandan army. They are accused of direct or tacit involvement in the violence shaking the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added Generals Stanislas Gashugi, Ruki Karusisi, Vincent Nyakarundi, and Mubarakh Muganga, alias "MK MUBARKH", to its list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN). The Rwandan army (RDF) itself is also targeted by these measures.

According to the US Treasury, Rwandan troops are deployed throughout eastern DRC.

They are said to be actively participating in the fighting and facilitating the M23's territorial control, thereby becoming complicit in abuses against civilians.

With the support of the RDF, the M23 is carrying out extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and acts of torture. In January 2025, the RDF carried out attacks against the Congolese armed forces (FARDC), the SADC mission (SAMIDRC) and MONUSCO positions (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC). In exchange for this support, Rwanda gains access to strategic mining areas in the region, thereby financing the rebellion," the statement said.

The US administration also points out that the RDF trains M23 fighters in its military centers and actively supports the recruitment of new members, including from among refugee populations.

The Treasury Department notes that any violation of these provisions may result in civil or criminal penalties for both US and foreign entities. It is strictly prohibited to induce US persons to violate these measures or to devise schemes to circumvent them.

Under the principle of strict liability, OFAC may impose civil fines. OFAC guidelines detail how these economic sanctions are applied. Financial institutions are also liable to prosecution if they facilitate transactions involving individuals or entities on the SDN list.

These prohibitions include any provision of funds, goods or services to sanctioned persons, as well as the receipt of any contributions from them.

Written by Azarias Mokonzi

The Dipeta River has overflowed again in the neighborhood of the same name in the rural commune of Fungurume in the Lubudi territory at around 100 kilometers (62.000miles). Septic tanks have emptied due to the floodwaters, threatening the health of the local population.

Several houses have been flooded in this commune following heavy rains that fell on this part of Lualaba province, according to consistent reports from residents.

The sudden flooding of the river, combined with the lack of adequate drainage in a rapidly expanding urban area, has turned the streets into torrents of muddy water.

Residents describe an alarming situation. Rainwater mixed with river water flooded homes and plots of land, destroying property and supplies. Several families say they spent the night evacuating their personal belongings to prevent them from being swept away by the floodwaters.

Beyond the material damage, the health threat is of particular concern to residents. The overflowing of septic tanks has caused fecal matter to rise to the surface, raising fears of the spread of waterborne diseases, particularly among children and vulnerable people.

Victims also denounce the ineffectiveness of previous solutions implemented by provincial authorities, believing that they have failed to prevent further flooding.

This latest episode is not an isolated one. On Thursday 5 February, another overflow was reported in the same neighborhood. The Governor dispatched several provincial ministers, including those responsible for land affairs, health, social affairs and infrastructure, to assess the damage.

More than 600 households were gathered in a single reception center with the support of the provincial government. Despite these measures, residents say that the rains continue to devastate their homes, raising fears that the situation will repeat itself every time there is heavy rainfall.

Written by Noé Kalemeko

The Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) announced that on Tuesday 3 March, an armed incursion targeted the headquarters of Upemba National Park, located in Lusinga, in the province of Haut-Katanga. The attack, attributed to "unidentified" assailants, resulted in the deaths of five staff members and significant material damage.

In an official statement signed in Kinshasa on 4 March 2026 by its Director General, the ICCN stated that "the headquarters of Upemba National Park, located in Lusinga, was the target of an armed incursion perpetrated by a group of unidentified assailants" on Tuesday 3 March 2026.

In response to this attack, the management of the public institution in charge of protected areas claims to have reacted without delay. "Under the leadership of the Director General of the ICCN, a crisis unit was immediately convened yesterday morning," the statement said. The institution added that "in consultation with the sovereign forces, in particular the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the security services, a series of measures has been activated to ensure the safety of agents and executives, in accordance with human rights and international standards."

According to the same source, the security situation is now under control. "At this time, full control of Upemba National Park and Lusinga station has been restored by the defense and security forces," the ICCN reassures.

However, the attack has left deep scars on this protected area, considered one of the country's major biotopes. The statement gives a heavy human and material toll, with "five park staff tragically losing their lives; equipment looted; and infrastructure suffering significant destruction".

The institution strongly condemns this attack, which it describes as a serious violation of national and international norms. "The ICCN condemns in the strongest possible terms this flagrant violation of the national legal order and international conventions. This act constitutes a direct transgression of the principle of neutrality and non-belligerence governing protected areas, which are considered common heritage of humanity under international environmental law," the statement emphasizes.

This attack comes amid a still fragile security situation in several areas of the country, where protected areas are regularly exposed to threats from armed groups, poaching and illegal exploitation of natural resources.

Written by Franck Kaky

In a detailed report published in early March 2026, the non-governmental human rights organization BADILIKA warns of escalating violence in North Kivu province.

According to the report, 270 people were massacred between December 2025 and February 2026, crimes attributed to local and foreign armed groups, notably ADF and AFC-M23 terrorists.

"The abuses committed by the ADF and M23 have taken a heavy human toll. 270 civilians have been killed, dozens more wounded, and vast rural areas have been emptied of their inhabitants as a result of massacres, arson, looting and abductions," the report states.

In addition to these killings, the insecurity has caused massive population displacement. More than 178,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Masisi territory, fleeing clashes between the FARDC and the AFC-M23 rebellion. This situation is exacerbating an already critical humanitarian crisis in the region.

The report also draws on data from OCHA to highlight the extent of the chaos: "More than 178,000 internally displaced persons have been registered. The uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and the fragmentation of armed groups have created a climate of impunity and permanent insecurity."

Faced with this bleak picture, the NGO Badilika insists that it is imperative to strengthen the protection of civilians and put an end to practices of violence and extortion.

The organization calls for the urgent dismantling of armed groups and the sustainable restoration of peace and the rule of law in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Editorial Team

The civil society consultation framework in the Mwenga territory has warned of a resurgence of pangolin (Manis tricuspis) poaching in the Itombwe Nature Reserve, located in South Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the group, several cases of illegal hunting have been reported recently in the reserve. Poachers mainly target pangolins for their scales and meat. These scales are highly sought after in wildlife trafficking networks.

The Itombwe Nature Reserve covers parts of the territories of Mwenga, Uvira, Fizi and Shabunda. This protected area is rich in biodiversity, but faces several threats, including poaching and illegal trade in wild species.

Mukamba Milenge Henri, coordinator of this citizen organization, is calling on the environmental authorities to take action to protect this species. "We invite the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), local communities and environmental organizations to support a program to combat poaching and trafficking of pangolin scales and meat in the Itombwe Reserve," he said.

The civil society consultation framework in the Mwenga territory also encourages traditional authorities to become more involved in this fight. "May the guardians of tradition strengthen their guidance to communities. It is forbidden to hunt and consume this mammal, a practice already prohibited in Lega custom. To strengthen its protection, combat trafficking and preserve its habitat, we are also relaunching awareness campaigns," he adds.

The pangolin is now considered the most poached and trafficked mammal in the world. Since 2016, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has banned international trade in all pangolin species. According to the IUCN Red List, the pangolin (Manis tricuspis) is one of the most endangered species in the world.

Written by Victoire Katembo Mbuto

At least nine artisanal miners were killed on Wednesday 11 March in a landslide at the SAFI mining site, located near the mining town of Kakanda, in the Lubudi territory (Lualaba province), according to a detailed report by the Service d'Assistance et d'Encadrement de l'Exploitation Minière Artisanale et à Petite Échelle (SAEMAPE).

According to this official document, the accident occurred between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. in this mining area covered by Boss Mining's PE 469 operating permit. Initial information gathered by the authorities indicates that several artisanal miners had entered the mine basin to extract ore.

According to SAEMAPE, for social reasons, artisanal miners are sometimes allowed access to certain parts of the mine between 5am and 9am. However, the report states that a group of miners entered the site with the agreement of armed individuals, under circumstances that remain unclear.

Alerted to the incident in the early afternoon, emergency teams were dispatched to the scene to rescue the victims. Nine bodies were taken to the Kakanda morgue, according to the provisional report released by SAEMAPE, which stated that search operations were still ongoing at the time of writing.

The provincial director of SAEMAPE also emphasized that his department currently has no permanent staff at the site, mainly due to the presence of armed elements. The document also mentions that the COMEMA cooperative was operating there without prior technical approval from the supervisory department.

Located about 100 kilometers east of Kolwezi, the SAFI mining site is in an area marked by artisanal copper and cobalt mining, often carried out in precarious conditions.

A technical mission is expected to visit the site on Thursday 12 March to establish the exact circumstances of the accident and draw up a final report.

For its part, local civil society is already reporting a higher death toll, with at least 11 fatalities, while the search continues under the rubble.

In its report, SAEMAPE makes several recommendations to prevent such accidents from happening again.

The supervisory service calls in particular for increased surveillance at the mining site, the permanent presence of technical agents to supervise artisanal activities, and clarification of the conditions of access for artisanal miners to industrial concessions.

SAEMAPE also recommends the involvement of the competent authorities to put an end to the presence of armed elements on the site, in order to ensure normal and secure technical supervision of mining activities.

Written by Noé KALEMEKO

For several days now, insecurity has been rampant in the city of Beni, the provisional capital of North Kivu province. The commune of Mulekera has been the most targeted by unwanted "night-time visits".

According to Kamabu Mukama Kennedy, president of the Mulekera Youth Council, several incursions have been reported, specifically in the Tamende neighborhood. The assailants take telephones, money and other valuables during their operations. "The assailants operate with complete impunity. From last week until yesterday, the Tamende neighborhood has become the epicenter of this banditry," he said.

The municipal youth council attributes this situation to the lack of effective security measures. "What surprises us is that serious measures are still not being taken. The victims call for help, but unfortunately, it always comes too late. "

Faced with this chaos, Mukama Kennedy calls on the authorities to take appropriate measures to curb this crime. "The authorities must act to prevent these incursions and protect residents. The city is full of soldiers and police officers; we believe that their presence would be more useful in the context of community policing. What we are experiencing is not what our people deserve," he concluded.

These bandits, who remain unidentified, are spreading terror and desolation. Meanwhile, the population is paying the price for what is perceived as a failure on the part of the city authorities, who are supposed to guarantee the protection of citizens and their property.

Written by Azarias Mokonzi

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the issue of constitutional reform has returned to the forefront of political discussions following a recent statement by Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, second vice-president of the Senate, who has chosen not to support this initiative.

On Saturday 7 March, speaking to senior figures and activists from the presidential party gathered in Limete, Secretary-General Augustin Kabuya removed any doubt about the regime's intentions: "Rest assured, we are going to amend this Constitution". This statement is part of a debate that has been raging for several months on the future of the Congolese constitution, which was passed in 2006 and whose 20th anniversary was marked last February by a symposium organized at the National Assembly.

"Revising the Constitution is constitutional, while changing the Constitution is not constitutional," says Vital Kamerhe, former president of the National Assembly. The revision is planned, but some articles are locked, including the one limiting the number of terms of office for the president of the republic.

"These violations are orchestrated by members of the executive branch and the presidential party (UDPS, Sacred Union), such as Augustin Kabuya, Mbata, Didier Budimbu, Paul Tshilumbu and Christophe Mboso Kodia, who are responsible for spreading an anti-constitutional message and implementing repressive policies," says Baggothy Nyembo Sumaili, a Congolese member of the diaspora, in an open letter.

"If the UDPS persists in its reckless pursuit of changing the constitution, it will not only legitimize war, but also risk leading the country into civil war. It is time for the people to rise up and say 'Stop'." Prince EPENGE

For the Archbishop of Kinshasa and head of the Catholic community in Congo, there are better things to do. "How can a country like ours spend time, energy and even money talking about constitutional change instead of taking care of its abandoned youth?" asks Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo.

The citizen movement Lutte pour le Changement (LUCHA), one of the most active civil society actors in the Democratic Republic of Congo, denounced in a statement published on Monday 9 March 2026 what it describes as an attempt at institutional "slippage" through the debate on the revision or amendment of the 2006 Constitution. This initiative aims to "offer a permanent lease to President Félix Tshisekedi," whose second term expires in December 2028. The movement accuses the ruling power of diverting national priorities in favor of a political survival maneuver, while the country is facing an acute security crisis in the east (occupation by the M23/AFC supported by Rwanda, abuses by the ADF, etc.).

"Yesterday, we showed our determination to say no to any amendment to the Constitution. Today, we are ready to multiply that energy tenfold to defend democracy and respect for our laws," said one internet user.

Wait and see.

Written by Akilimali Chomachoma