Briefings
30 May – 5 June 2013
EDITORIAL The UN’s landmark Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) opened for signature in New York on Monday, 3 June, with 67 states penning the agreement by the close of day. Reports indicate that the devastating slaughter of central Africa’s elephants is being driven by rebels such as the Lord’s Resistance Army, seeking to fund their activities through the insatiable demand for ivory on the Asian markets. Mea
23 – 29 May 2013
Following hostilities between the M23 and the Congolese army that are claimed to have taken nearly 20 lives in eastern DRC, this week saw much diplomatic movement in the region. Ban Ki-moon and Jim Yong Kim’s three day tour of the Great Lakes saw the implementation of a ceasefire between the warring parties in Mutaho for the delegation’s arrival in Goma[…]
16 – 22 May 2013
This week has seen much action on the ground with the resumption of hostilities between the Congolese army and the M23 in Mutaho, 10 km from Goma, North Kivu. Three days of fighting, which commenced on Monday morning, have so far culminated in 4 deaths and many wounded as shells hit suburbs of Goma during heavy fighting between the two forces.[…]
10 – 16 May 2013
The Africa Progress Panel’s Annual Report for 2013 was released on Friday, and this year addresses the potential contribution of Africa’s resource wealth, looking particularly at the Democratic Republic of Congo. The report laments the DRC’s loss of revenue occasioned by the sale of undervalued resource assets[…]
2 – 8 May 2013
As UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, Mary Robinson, comes to the end of her 9 day tour of the region she has reportedly re-emphasised the need to see the UN Intervention Brigade as a mere supplement to the true political work required to bring stability to the region. The M23 continues to posture over the Brigades imminent arrival, this week sending a letter to the Tanzanian State threat
25 April – 1 May 2013
As the UN’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mary Robinson, toured the region this week, the M23 appeared to be under increasing pressure. With Kampala talks effectively at a stalemate, the M23 has withdrawn its delegates and is reported to be mobilising around Rutshuru and Beni[…]
18 – 24 April 2013
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) met on Thursday to follow up on the regional block’s roadmap for transition in the Central African Republic (CAR). At the conference, attended by the CAR’s Prime Minister, ECCAS reportedly agreed to deploy a 2,000 strong force to assist the authorities to restore order in the currently unstable capital of Bangui. South Africa has apparently
11 – 17 April 2013
This week the M23 rebel movement continued to oppose and threaten the UNIntervention Brigade, which was approved by the Security Council on 28 March and whose aim is to actively fight the armed groups in eastern DRC. According to a UN top military official, the Brigade’s deployment is “imminent”. It will number 3069 men, from Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi.[…]
4 – 10 April 2013
DOWNLOAD PDF EDITORIAL Following last weeks UN Security Council resolution mandating a MONUSCO-based intervention brigade, concerns have been raised about causalities to troop contributing State forces – felt most acutely in South Africa, where President Zuma is currently under fierce scrutiny over the country’s involvement in the Central African Republic. Meanwhile, the M23 has continued to take
28 March – 3 April 2013
Tuesday saw the United Nations General Assembly approve a global arms trade treatyafter 6 years of inter-State deliberations on the issue. The consensus approach was abandoned after last Thursday, when unanimous agreement on a convention text was blocked at the conclusion of the Final UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty[…]
21 – 27 March 2013
In the Central African Republic (CAR) President Bozizé was overthrown by the Seleka rebel coalition, after the capital Bangui was captured last Sunday. In the clashes at least 13 South African soldiers defending the city were killed. The ousted president fled toCameroon. Seleka’s leader, Michel Djotodia, declared himself president, suspended the constitution, dissolved parliament and the governmen
14 – 20 March 2013
In a surprising development, ICC-indicted Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda showed up in the US Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda, on Monday, asking to be transferred to the International Criminal Court. Two days earlier, the faction of the M23 rebel movement loyal to him had been chased from its stronghold in North Kivu by the rival pro-Makenga faction, and had fled into neighbouring Rwanda. Ntaganda is t
7 – 13 March 2013
From next Monday, 18 March, until 28 March, in New York the UN Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty will take place. The first round of negotiations was held in July 2012, but did not result in an agreement on a treaty text. Organizations and human rights activists are urging the international community to adopt robust rules on international transfers of conventional arms and ammunition[…]
28 February – 6 March 2013
With the removal of political coordinator Jean-Marie Runiga by military leader Sultani Makenga, the M23 rebel movement in eastern DR Congo split up into a pro-Makenga and a pro-Bosco Ntaganda faction, on the ground as well as at the Kampala peace talks. The rebels left the area of Rutshuru town for the south of the territory, where heavy clashes were reported between the two factions.[…]
21 – 27 February 2013
Last Sunday in Addis Ababa the “Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region” was signed by the DR Congo, its nine neighbours and South Africa, as well as by the UN and the African organisations AU, ICGLR and SADC. In this agreement the neighbouring countries make a renewed commitment not to interfere in the DRC, and the DRC to boost reforms, in
14 – 20 February 2013
As the Kampala talks between the M23 and Kinshasa seem to have remained in deadlock this week, the UN has announced a second meeting in Addis Ababa to secure the signature of a UN-brokered peace accord for eastern DRC, due to take place on 24 February 2013. The announcement comes as the DRC deploys a 500 strong battalion of its own troops to strengthen the AU-led taskforce hunting the Lords’ Resis
7 – 13 February 2013
Last Wednesday saw the adoption of an evaluation report on the 23 March 2009 agreement between Kinshasa and the then CNDP, by Congolese and M23 delegates in Kampala. The profound differences between the two delegations has led commentators to suggest that the talks are likely to end in failure, and civil society representatives have demanded that Kinshasa now disengage from the negotiations.
31 January – 6 February 2013
Having addressed the DRC’s implementation of the March 2009 agreement, talks in Kampala appear to have entered a new phase with Congolese delegates calling for a reduction in the number of participants engaged. Meanwhile, as US sanctions come into force for leading members of the M23, Germany has reportedly lifted its aid suspension on Rwanda.[…]
17 – 23 January 2013
While, in the Central African Republic, Nicolas Tiangaye, the prime minister thrust upon President Bozizé by opposition and rebels, is trying to form his transition government, Seleka rebels on the field appear to be dissatisfied with the Libreville accords.[…]
10 – 16 January 2013
The Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) and the Seleka rebel alliance signed a peace agreement last week in Libreville, Gabon. CAR President Bozizé will remain in power until 2016, but a transitional unity government will be formed and legislative elections held in 12 months.[…]
ZOEK IN BRIEFINGS
