sources: AllAfrica, Digital Congo, IRIN
December 16, 2003
-The African Development Fund, the financing arm of the African Development Bank (ADB), and the DRC signed two loan and grant agreements totalling $ 68 million for an economic recovery and reunification support programme. "It will make it possible to consolidate the macroeconomic stability in the context of the reunification of the country", the ADB said.
December 18, 2003
-In a recent fax from the law firm Herzog, Fox & Neeman, based in Tel-Aviv, Israel, the lawyer for EMAXON, a Canadian subsidiary of the Israeli diamond firm DGI, demanded that the Kinshasa-based daily "Le Potentiel" publishes a correction to a recent story that appeared in the paper entitled, "Diamonds: the MIBA forces EMAXON to increase the price of shipment M10-03". The article describes the "first snag between MIBA and EMAXON, which took place during the sale of a parcel of diamonds bearing the code M10-03 in Antwerp, Belgium, because of the low average buying price offered by EMAXON's examiner. Le Potentiel added that "The EMAXON's examiners attempt to lower MIBA's average product price was interpreted by the MIBA as a tactic aimed at convincing the Congolese firm to sell its precious stones at a very low price." EMAXON is asking a payment of $15 million in damages from Le Potentiel.
December 26, 2003
-In an interview with IRIN the outgoing MONUC Force Commander, Mountaga Diallo says: "With regard to accusations of the presence of Rwandan troops, we have conducted numerous verification missions, and continue to do so. But there are difficulties we face: RCD troops wear the same uniforms and carries the same arms as the Rwandans. So for a MONUC observer it is practically impossible to distinguish a Congolese from a Rwandan. Therefore, what was required was an investigation and it was for this reason that we asked that mixed teams be assembled including representatives from the Congolese armed forces, MONUC, South Africa and from the Rwandan army (!)." "About 2 or 3 month ago, we received information about the presence of Rwandan forces. ..But, we ran into a number of obstructions from certain military commanders ..These commanders denied us access to certain bases and certain camps. They also prohibited us from speaking with their men.."
January 8, 2004
-Since the second phase of the demobilisation programme (DDRRR), started in 2002, only 3641 returned militias from the DRC have been demobilised and reintegrated in Rwanda, according to IRIN-News.
-Congolese minister of Foreign Affairs Antoine Ghonda Mangalibi says in a IRIN-interview that Congo will participate in the International Conference for the Great Lakes, scheduled for November 2004. But Congo wants the conference to include all neighbouring countries of the DRC. He also talks about the government's economic plans : a number of projects exists in the context of Nepad (New Partnership for Africa's Development). There is also the matter of the Inga-hydroelectric dam. This dam can provide electricity to neighbour countries like Angola, Congo-Brazzaville and to South Africa.
January 9, 2004
-The international committtee (CIAT) overseeing the two-year transitional process in Congo has expressed concern about continuing delays on the part of the country's national unity government in adopting key legislation for the transitional period. None of the 5 institutions: -the truth and reconciliation commission, the national human rights observatory, the high autority for the media, the national electoral commission and the commission for ethics, as called for by the inter-Congolese dialogue- is yet fully functional.
January 12, 2004
-The Belgium government has authorised the dispatch of 190 military advisers to Congo to help build a new army. They will be stationed in Kisangani to train a new Congolese military brigade.
January 13, 2004
-South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived in Kinshasa, heading a delegation of government and private business officials on a visit aimed at boosting economic ties with the Congo. South Africa has provided $252 million to modernise the existing international airport in Kinshasa and to build a new international airport for the capital.
January 15, 2004
-Peter Schwarbric, director of the DDRRR, says that till now 5260 Rwandan militias are repratriated from the Congo.
-South Africa and the DRC signed a bilateral agreement worth $ 10 billion covering the areas of defence and security, economy and finance, agriculture and infrastructural development. Congo also signed a $8.4 million deal with SA Chamber of Commerce to rehabilitate the state's Gecamines mining concern, the 39the concession of the Kilomoto Gold Mines etc.
-A joint venture called Western Power Corridor, owned by Eskom (South Africa) and some other african companies will drive the Inga III project, the building of a 3500mW hydropower station. The harnessing of this hydroelectric project is moved a step closer with the pending signing of the intergovernmental memorandum of understanding, according to Eskom's spokesman Fani Zulu.
January 20 2004
-Congo filled the remaining 3 positions in its unified military high command with the appointment of officers formerly loyal to the rebel movement, the RCD-Goma. Gen Ruhibasira, col.Mutebusi en col. Nsimbi were, respectively handed command of the Goma, Bukavu and Bandundu military regions.
January 23 2004
-MONUC is to send a team to investigate a reported massacre in Ituri District. According to local authorities armed men said to belong to a militia group called Front des Nationalistes Integralistes (FNI) killed at least 100 people in Gobu, a lakeside village some 60 km north of Bunia.
January 29 2004
-President Museveni met with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to establish the basis for future cooperation between Uganda and the ICC. The Prosecutor has decided to start planning for the investigation of the ICC towards the crimes perpetrated by the Ugandan LRA-rebel army.
February 4 2004
-The city of Bukavu, capital of Sud-Kivu, was the theatre of violent armed confrontations between the militia of Chiribanya, RCD-gouvernor of this province, and troops loyal to the government , following the discovery of an important arms cache in the private residence of the governeur. This happened while president Kabila was visiting Europe where he was given a favorable reception by French president Chirac, British first minister Blair , German chancellor Schroeder, and the Belgian King Albert.
February 13 2004
William Swing, the head of MONUC and UN Special Representative to the DRC, told a meeting in Washington organised by the Wilson International Center that the transition is making progress. He said he began a proactive strategy of deploying 10 000 troops in Bunia and the rest of eastern Congo. Along with force and civilian protection, Swing said another important goal of the Bunia deployment was to disrupt the vicious circle of arms trading. Although there is a UN arms embargo in place, the flow of weapons into the region, purchased through the illegal harvesting of precious resources, is virtually unhindered. Interdicting the illegal trade is not an easy task considering there are 325 airfields to be monitored in Eastern Congo.
February 18 2004
-Southafrican company KUMBA resources is revisiting the Kamoto project, a copper and cobalt minig operation and the Kipushi zinc mine in a joint venture with American Mineral Fields.
February 24 2004
-In the night of February 23 - 24 a group of soldiers in Bukavu under the leadership of col. Mutebuzi has assaulted the residence of gen. Nabyolwa, chief-commander of the 10th region appointed by the national government. The attack followed the transfer of maj. Kasongo, at February 23, to Kinshasa, ordered by gen. Nabyolwa because of the arms cache found by the troops of the general at the residence of Kasongo.
February 27 2004
-The World Bank Board of Directors approved an IDA Credit of $ 200 million to support the DRC with its economic and social recovery programme.
-Since its interception two years ago more than 8500 Burundians, Rwandans and Ugandans have been repatriated through the DDRRR-programme. Some 3000 Rwandan ex-combatants and their dependants should be still camping in the region of Rusemambo, Virunga National Park in North Kivu. Of the 8500 some were 5600 were combatants. The bulk of those repatriated comprise 5,497 Rwandans- 2,868 ex-combatants and 2,629 dependants; 2,550 Burundians, most ex-combatants.
March 1 2004
-Ingele Ifoto, minister of Social Affairs of the DRC, spoke with IRIN regarding the development of a national strategy for social protection, following a conference on this matter held from 20 - 22 February in Mbanza Ngungu. According to Ifoto, the war caused at least 3 million deaths, and at least 1.7 million displaced people. Many other segments of the population also continue to suffer the war's effects, including child soldiers, raped women, war widows, war injured etc.
-The EU has agreed with a $ 55 million gift to the DRC for some programmes concerning social security, agricultural development, etc.
March 9 2004
-During a ceremony to mark International Women's day, Ruberwa, one of the 4 vice-presidents and leader of the RCD-Goma former rebel movement, has asked for the forgiveness of female victims of rape and other abuses suffered during recent years of war in the country. However, Ruberwa's declaration was met with boos and heckling from many of the 3000 women who had gathered for the occasion in the Salle de Congres of the Palais du Peuple. Despite the inauguration of a transitional government, widespread rape of women and children has continued to increase.
-Le Monde published the report of the French anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere about Kagame's involvement in the attack of the airplane of former Rwandan president Habyarimana on April 6 1994. The death of Habyarimana turned out to be the start of the genocide in Rwanda.
chronicle 9, september 29 -october 12 1997
chronicle 10, october 13 - october 26 1997
chronicle 11, october 27 - november 9, 1997
chronicle 12, november 10 -november 23 1997
chronicle 13, november 24 -december 7 1997
chronicle 14, december 8 1997 - january 4 1998
chronicle 15, january 5 - january 18 1998
chronicle 16, january 19 - february 1 1998
chronicle 17, february 2 - february 15 1998
chronicle 18, february 16 - march 1 1998
chronicle 19, march 2 - march 15 1998
chronicle 20, march 16 - march 29 1998
chronicle 21, march 30 - april 26 1998
chronicle 22, april 27 - mei 10 1998
chronicle 23, mei 11 - mei 31 1998
chronicle 24, juni 1 - august 26 1998
chronicle 25, august 27 - september 28 1998
chronicle 26,september 29- october 31 1998
chronicle 27, november 1- december 5 1998
chronicle 28, december 6 - january 24 1999
chronicle 29, january 25 - march 14 1999
chronicle 30, march 15 - may 9 1999
chronicle 31, may 10 - october 24 1999
chronicle 32, october 25 - january 9 2000
chronicle 33, january 10 - april 2 2000
chronicle 34, april 3 - june 25 2000
chronicle 35, june 26 - august 27 2000
chronicle 36, august 28 - october 29 2000
chronicle 37, october 30 - january 14 2001
chronicle 38, january 15 - march 18 2001
chronicle 39, march 19 - may 20 2001
chronicle 40, may 21 - july 15 2001
chronicle 41, july 16 - october 8 2001
chronicle 42, october 9 - december 15 2001
chronicle 43, december 16 2001 - march 3 2002
chronicle 44, march 4 2002 - may 26 2002
chronicle 45, may 27 2002 - september 8 2002
chronicle 46, september 9 2002 - december 9 2002
chronicle 47, december 10 2002 - march 2 2003
chronicle 48, march 3 2003 - may 25 2003
chronicle 49, may 26 2003 - august 10 2003
chronicle 50, 11 august 2003 - 15 december 2003