North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a new campaign to collect illegally held weapons and ammunition. The move comes as the region, which remains under a state of siege, faces persistent insecurity.

The provincial government said in a statement issued on November 12 that military governor Major-General Evariste Kakule Somo signed an order on October 29 authorizing the operation.

The order offers cash rewards to anyone who voluntarily hands in weapons: 100 dollars for an AK-47 or similar rifle, 200 dollars for a support weapon, and 1 dollar per round of ammunition. It also guarantees anonymity and immunity from prosecution for participants.

A commission that includes the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program (PDDRCS) has been set up to oversee the campaign. The provincial government said the effort is funded by the central government with possible support from technical and financial partners and individual donors.

The initiative follows a rise in violent crime in Beni and Butembo, where banks, homes and businesses have been repeatedly targeted by armed groups. Civil society groups have urged authorities to tighten controls on the movement of weapons in the province.

Similar programs have been carried out in the past. Between 2008 and 2011, the NGO Peace and Reconciliation (PAREC) ran a weapons-collection campaign across several provinces after waves of violence. In North Kivu, PAREC sought to collect 30,000 weapons and had recovered about 9,347 by October 2010, according to local media. By July 2011, it had handed over more than 7,545 weapons and 54 tons of ammunition to military experts. In Kinshasa, more than 11,000 illegally held weapons were recovered in 2009, Le Figaro reported.

Timothée Manoke

Security officers at Bipemba Airport in Mbujimayi, Democratic Republic of Congo, seized 13 kilograms of diamonds on November 11, 2025, after discovering the cargo had not been declared for transport to Kinshasa.

Provincial anti-fraud services and the Provincial Mining Division said the stones were not listed on any official paperwork and had not been reported to the authorities, in breach of national traceability rules.

The diamonds were brought to interim provincial governor Daniel Kazadi Cilumbayi, who called a security meeting with all agencies active at the airport, including the police, the National Intelligence Agency, the Mining Division, and anti-fraud units. The meeting focused on determining how the attempted smuggling occurred and improving coordination among security services.

Kazadi praised the officers involved and said the provincial government remained committed to tackling mineral trafficking. “There will be no tolerance for such practices. The law must be strictly applied,” he said, adding that smuggling undermines supply-chain transparency and deprives the province of revenue.

The governor instructed security and mining authorities to strengthen checks at all exit points in the province and urged closer cooperation among the institutions responsible for anti-fraud work.

The seized diamonds were transferred to the Centre for Expertise, Evaluation and Certification (CEEC) and the Provincial Mining Division for technical analysis and valuation, the governor’s office said. With no claimant for the cargo, an investigation has been opened to identify those responsible.

Ronsard Luabeya

Les services de sécurité déployés à l’aéroport de Bipemba, dans la ville de Mbujimayi, ont intercepté, le 11 novembre 2025, une cargaison de 13 kilogrammes de diamants en partance pour Kinshasa. Selon les services provinciaux d’antifraude et la Division provinciale des mines, cette marchandise ne figurait sur aucun document officiel et n’avait pas été déclarée auprès des institutions compétentes, en violation des règles de traçabilité.

Après la saisie, les pierres ont été présentées au gouverneur intérimaire du Kasaï oriental, Daniel Kazadi Cilumbayi, qui a aussitôt convoqué une réunion de sécurité avec les différents services opérant à l’aéroport — police, Agence nationale de renseignements, Division des mines et services d’antifraude — afin de clarifier les circonstances de cette tentative d’exportation illicite et de renforcer la coordination entre structures de contrôle.

Le gouverneur a salué la vigilance des agents impliqués dans l’opération et réaffirmé la détermination du gouvernement provincial à lutter contre la fraude minière. « Il n’y aura aucune tolérance face à de telles pratiques. La loi doit s’appliquer dans toute sa rigueur », a-t-il déclaré, estimant que ces actes fragilisent la transparence de la filière et privent la province de recettes importantes.

Pour prévenir de nouveaux cas, Daniel Kazadi a instruit les services concernés de renforcer les contrôles dans tous les points de sortie de la province et insisté sur la nécessité d’une collaboration étroite entre toutes les institutions engagées dans la lutte contre la fraude.

Selon la cellule de communication du gouvernorat, les diamants interceptés ont été remis au Centre d’expertise, d’évaluation et de certification (CEEC) ainsi qu’à la Division provinciale des mines pour des analyses techniques et une évaluation officielle. Les propriétaires de la cargaison ne se sont pas présentés, ce qui a conduit à l’ouverture d’une enquête visant à établir les responsabilités.

Ronsard Luabeya

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La province du Nord-Kivu, sous état de siège, a lancé une nouvelle campagne de ramassage des armes et munitions détenues illégalement afin de lutter contre l’insécurité persistante dans la région. Selon un communiqué publié le 12 novembre 2025 sur les comptes officiels du gouvernement provincial, le gouverneur militaire, général-major Evariste Kakule Somo, a signé, le 29 octobre 2025, un arrêté officialisant l’opération.

L’arrêté prévoit, à son article 7, une contrepartie financière pour toute personne remettant volontairement une arme ou des munitions : 100 dollars pour une arme de type AK-47 ou équivalent, 200 dollars pour une arme d’appui, et 1 dollar par munition déposée. L’article 10 garantit la discrétion des personnes qui se présenteront et l’absence de poursuites pendant toute la période de mise en œuvre de la campagne.

Une commission chargée de coordonner les opérations a été mise en place, avec la participation du Programme de désarmement, démobilisation, relèvement communautaire et stabilisation (PDDRCS).

Le gouvernement provincial précise que la nouvelle campagne est financée par le gouvernement central, et, le cas échéant, par ses partenaires techniques et financiers, ainsi que par toute personne « éprise de paix » souhaitant soutenir la stabilisation de la province.

Cette initiative intervient dans un contexte de recrudescence de la criminalité, particulièrement dans les villes de Beni et Butembo, où se multiplient les braquages d’institutions financières, les incursions dans les domiciles, les meurtres attribués à des hommes armés, ainsi que les appels répétés de la société civile en faveur d’un contrôle strict de la circulation des armes. Elle s’inscrit dans la continuité d’initiatives antérieures.

Entre 2008 et 2011, l’ONG Paix et Réconciliation (PAREC) avait mené une opération similaire dans plusieurs provinces après des cycles de violences. Au Nord-Kivu, elle s’était fixé l’objectif de collecter 30 000 armes et, selon les médias provinciaux, elle avait récupéré près de 9 347 armes d’ici octobre 2010. En juillet 2011, elle avait remis plus de 7 545 armes ainsi que 54 tonnes de munitions aux experts militaires. À Kinshasa, en 2009, plus de 11 000 armes détenues illégalement par des civils avaient également été récupérées, selon Le Figaro.

Timothée Manoke

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said on Tuesday, Nov. 11, that it had initiated Federal Court proceedings against AVZ Minerals, the mining company that claimed mining rights over the Manono lithium deposit in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The regulator alleges that the company and two of its directors failed to meet their disclosure obligations to investors concerning the legal dispute surrounding the project. AVZ was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) until trading was suspended in May 2022. It was delisted in May 2024.

Through its subsidiary Dathcom Mining, AVZ held a 75 percent stake in a licence covering part of the Manono site, which is widely regarded as the DRC’s largest lithium deposit, but it never secured the mining rights. In October 2023, joint-venture partner Cominière, a state-owned company, announced that it had signed an agreement to operate part of the deposit with China’s Zijin Mining Group. AVZ is contesting these developments and has launched several international legal proceedings to defend its claims.

ASIC alleges that the company failed to disclose information about the dispute for nearly a year. Managing Director Nigel Ferguson and Technical Director Graeme Johnston are also accused of breaching their duties as directors by allowing the publication of “false or misleading” announcements to the ASX.

“It was all but impossible for retail investors to travel to an overseas location in central Africa where the company’s operations were being conducted. In those circumstances, investors rely on the company to provide accurate and timely information. We allege Mr Ferguson and Mr Johnston failed to inform investors of the ongoing issues in this case for nearly 12 months,” ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court said.

AVZ and its directors “strongly denied all allegations of wrongdoing” in a statement issued shortly afterward, saying they will vigorously defend themselves in court.

Emiliano Tossou

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) launched a review of its investment code. The process is being led by the National Investment Promotion Agency (ANAPI) in partnership with the Fragile States Facility (FSF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The review opened in Kinshasa on Nov. 11 and ended on Nov. 13, and was officially launched by Planning and Development Aid Coordination Minister Guylain Nyembo. Its aim is to modernize the legal framework and make the country more attractive to investors.

Adopted in 2002, the current investment code is now seen as hindering investor interest. According to ANAPI Director General Rachel Pungu, the code is weighed down by burdensome administrative procedures, unclear tax incentives and weak legal clarity and investment protection. The revision seeks to make the code more competitive within the region and to promote investment that creates jobs and generates wealth by strengthening legal and judicial security in business practices.

Pungu also noted that the code was drafted when the country still had 11 provinces and no longer reflects the current administrative structure of 26 provinces, which limits its scope. She added that the code contains poorly defined eligibility criteria for tax benefits, including a 35 percent value-added requirement with no clear justification, and lacks financial benchmarks to assess project profitability.

The complex approval process and the code’s narrow scope are also seen as obstacles, especially as competition intensifies within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Limited investment in key sectors such as agriculture, together with a patchwork of tax exemption schemes, has further contributed to the code becoming outdated.

The review also includes the development of a national business climate policy and a national investment policy. These tools are intended to provide a long-term framework for improving the business environment and encouraging investment across the entire country.

Youmann Consulting Group, commissioned by the FSF, is providing technical support and is expected to deliver three documents by the end of the year: a revised investment code, a national business climate policy and a national investment policy. These documents will then be submitted to the government for validation before their final adoption.

Ronsard Luabeya

The population of Lubumbashi has expressed concern about water quality after pollution was reported in several neighborhoods following an acid effluent spill from the mining company Congo Dongfang Mining (CDM). REGIDESO has issued assurances about the safety of the water it supplies to its customers.

In a media statement, David Angoyo Rutia, regional director of REGIDESO Grand Katanga, said the company’s water intake points remain intact and that tests carried out after the incident showed no contamination.

He explained that, as soon as the industrial accident was reported, REGIDESO deployed teams to various intake sites to conduct sampling and quality checks. “There is no need for fear… Our sources are intact,” he said.

However, the official noted that, as a precaution, about 1,200 meters of piping supplying the Kamatete neighborhood in the Annexe commune — the area directly affected by the incident — were temporarily isolated.

David Angoyo Rutia also stressed that this assurance applies only to water supplied by REGIDESO to its customers, and not to other sources used by part of the population, including shallow boreholes and domestic wells.

This clarification renewed some concerns. Local media have pointed out “the absence of REGIDESO in several parts of the city,” which forces many residents to rely on boreholes or wells for daily consumption. Among these neighborhoods is Kasapa, in the Annexe commune, where the incident occurred.

A suspected case of food poisoning was also reported in the Camp Scout neighborhood, still in the Annexe commune. According to the child’s mother, the meal was prepared with water from a well. She said she noticed the food had an acidic taste.

On November 3, 2025, acidic water from CDM’s retention basin flowed into several surrounding neighborhoods. Residents reported skin irritation after contact with the water, and domestic animals that drank it died. Images shared on social media also showed dead fish floating in streams affected by the polluted effluents.

The Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority (ARE) issued on October 24, 2025, a compliant opinion to Sattel International for obtaining an independent power generation license for a 6 MWc solar photovoltaic plant with storage in the territory of Luozi, in Kongo Central province.

According to the company, this infrastructure will supply electricity to more than 7,500 households, reduce CO₂ emissions by over 23,000 tons a year, and stimulate local economic activity. The project also aims to improve access to education and health services in the region. However, it is uncertain whether the initial schedule, which expected the plant to be commissioned before the end of 2025, can be met.

Specialized in sustainable electrification and hybrid solar solutions for more than 25 years, Sattel International, through its subsidiary Sattel Energy, designs, finances, installs, and operates energy solutions adapted to the needs of financial institutions, companies, public administrations, and rural communities.

Its business model combines energy leasing, direct sales, and operation and maintenance services, supported by an energy management system (EMS) that allows real-time monitoring and optimized consumption.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the company says it has completed around thirty projects totaling 7.5 MWc installed. Its main achievements include solar electrification for banks — notably Equity BCDC in Kinshasa and several provinces — high-end private residences (in Gombe, Mont-Fleury, Binza, and Kintambo), as well as agricultural, industrial, and public lighting sites in Boende. Present in the DRC and the Republic of Congo, Sattel International plans to expand its activities to three more African countries by 2026.

The British International Investment (BII), the development finance institution of the United Kingdom government, is evaluating investment opportunities in the telecommunications and postal sectors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A delegation led by Africa Director Christopher Chijiutomi met on November 11, 2025, with the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, José Mpanda Kabangu.

With a global portfolio of $8 billion and investing nearly $1 billion a year in various projects worldwide, BII is seeking to understand the ministry’s priorities in order to assess possible areas of cooperation, Christopher Chijiutomi said.

For his part, Minister José Mpanda outlined the sector’s major challenges, including reducing the digital divide and improving nationwide connectivity. He noted that the DRC has only 4,000 km of fiber optic cable, while nearly 50,000 km would be needed to connect all 145 territories of the country.

To attract investors, the government has introduced fiscal incentives, including lowering the levy from $3,000 to $5 per kilometer of fiber optic installed. The minister also highlighted the need to strengthen telecom infrastructure, pointing out that the country has only 5,150 towers for an estimated requirement of 30,000 to ensure adequate coverage, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.

José Mpanda also presented to BII the project to create a postal bank and relaunch the national postal service through a public-private partnership with the Société commerciale des Postes et Télécommunications.

Based in London and owned by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), BII supports sustainable growth in developing countries, mainly in Africa and Asia. Its investments cover energy, telecommunications, infrastructure, and finance through loans and equity stakes.

• Digital economy minister visited Huawei’s training center in Hangzhou
• Talks focused on creating a Congolese AI academy under the 2026–2030 plan
• Huawei is considered a technical partner due to its global ICT training expertise

Digital Economy Minister Augustin Kibassa Maliba carried out a working visit on November 10, 2025, to Huawei’s training center in Hangzhou, in the People’s Republic of China, according to a statement from the ministry’s press office.

The mission focused on cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Huawei in artificial intelligence (AI) training, as part of the National Digital Plan 2026–2030 and the country’s first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy.

Discussions centered on the creation of a Congolese artificial intelligence academy, a government project designed to train specialists, support applied research, and develop solutions tailored to local needs, especially in agriculture, health, and mining.

According to the official communication, Huawei was approached as a technical partner for the project due to its global experience in information and communication technology training, including through the Huawei ICT Competition, an international event that brought together more than 210,000 students and instructors in its latest edition.

This development follows the memorandum of understanding signed on May 23, 2025, between the DRC and Huawei on the “smart village” pilot project, aimed at improving Internet access, connecting local public services, and training young people in digital skills.