The first handover of money in Mr de Villepin's presence occurred in 1995, he said, involving 10m francs from the then Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko.

Mr Bourgi said that money from the leaders of several former African colonies was then passed to Mr Chirac and Mr de Villepin over the next 10 years. Speaking on Europe 1 radio, he estimated the ( Read more... )

KINSHASA (AFP) - Around 100 fighters were behind simultaneous attacks Sunday on the home of the Democratic Republic of Congo president and an army base that left about a dozen people dead, officials said.

One of those arrested after the assault carried a DR Congo military identity card and was a former opposition member, a government spokesman said ( Read more... )

This is from last month, but nonetheless still relevant - a nice breakdown as we head into elections in 2011...

FACTBOX - Key political risks to watch in Congo

Wed Dec 1, 2010 12:10pm GMT

By Katrina Manson

KINSHASA Dec 1 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo is seeking political stability, battling economic woes and stubborn rebel insurgencies ( Read more... )

PROSPECTS 2011: East Africa and the Great Lakes - click link for full article.

Eastern DRC. In addition, EAC members will be affected by continued insecurity in the eastern DRC:

FDLR. The ethnic Hutu Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) remain a serious threat, despite having been significantly weakened by a series of recent ( Read more... )

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has agreed to pursue the war crimes trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba, Democratic Republic of Congo's ex-vice-president.

An appeals panel at the court in The Hague rejected an appeal from his lawyers to dismiss the case.

Mr Bemba is accused of leading militias in neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and ( Read more... )

Firstly, Zimbabwe's ruling party has been confirmed as the winner of the first of 23 constituencies to complete a recount of votes after March's election.

Secondly, The leader of South Africa's governing ANC party, Jacob Zuma, has refused to blame Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe for recent poll-related violence.

Thirdly, I am very happy that my no-Zuma icon ( Read more... )

Now that the US presidential caucuses and primaries have begun, I am paying attention.  Forgive me for not tuning in until now.  One year of this nonsense is about all I can take.

Thanks to my new favorite website, glassbooth.org, I have come across this quote from the winner of the Republican caucus in Iowa, Mike Huckabee.  The quote is from a ( Read more... )

In Karawa, we were in Bemba country.  In fact, the flight goes into Gemena, and just past the driveway leaving the airport is a huge enclosed complex that is one of Bemba's homes.  I was a bit taken aback to find one of the community health workers wearing a "Je vote Joseph KABILA" T-shirt (I don't have to translate that for you, right?)


( Read more... )

I thought that perhaps I should have just posted this last week without comment, since it's been sitting here non-publicly posted for several days.  But in reading through it, I realize why I wanted to make sure that I'd at least skimmed it first.
Problems with this NYTSelect article, text posted under the cut::

• First of all, no country can ( Read more... )

Politician sacked over DR Congo 'ghost minister' scandal
KINSHASA (AFP) - The head of one of Democratic Republic of Congo's ruling parties was fired after it turned out the man he helped nominate as the country's trade minister did not exist, his party said Monday.
Government coalition party the Union of Congolese Nationalists and Federalists, or ( Read more... )