UN envoy warns new Congo crisis could impact its security
December 8, 2020 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Congo warned Monday that the political crisis in Congo sparked by the end of a coalition between the parties of President Felix Tshisekedi and former president Joseph Kabila may affect the African nation’s economic and security situation if it isn’t resolved...
Political violence in Congo reaches record high
July 25, 2019 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The year 2018 was one of the most politically violent on record for Congo and data shows that six months into the new presidency of Félix Tshisekedi "overall political violence is rising at even higher rates than last year," according to a project which tracks political violence...
UN envoy urges rivals to quickly form government in Congo
July 24, 2019 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Congo urged the country's current and former presidents on Wednesday to make concessions and quickly agree on a new government, saying the two-month delay is impacting the country's "fragile" transition...
Congolese finally pay tribute to late opposition leader
May 31, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Tens of thousands of mourners, some of whom camped outside overnight, gathered on Friday to finally say farewell to Etienne Tshisekedi, the Congolese opposition icon whose son was declared president earlier this year...
Congo political exiles return as new leader brings reforms
May 18, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congolese art collector and businessman Sindika Dokolo feared being jailed if he returned to his country as an opponent of the longtime president...
Congo court annuls sentence for exiled opposition leader
April 19, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — A lawyer for Congo opposition leader Moise Katumbi says a court has annulled his three-year prison sentence, enabling him to return from exile in Belgium...
Tshisekedi declared Congo’s president, but runner-up revolts
January 20, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo's election crisis deepened early Sunday when the Constitutional Court confirmed the win of Felix Tshisekedi, rejecting claims of fraud, and runner-up Martin Fayulu promptly declared himself the country's "only legitimate president...
Congo runner-up claims victory, will file election challenge
January 11, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo runner-up Martin Fayulu announced on Friday he will file a court challenge to the presidential election results, while his opposition coalition asserted he actually received 61 percent of the vote according to the findings of the influential Catholic Church's observers...
Congo’s surprise election result could face court challenge
January 10, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo appeared on the cusp of its first peaceful transfer of power with the surprise victory Thursday of opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi, despite clear signs that a rival opposition leader actually won in a landslide...
Congo delays announcing results of presidential election
January 6, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo's government Sunday postponed the release of the results of last weekend's presidential election, fueling suspicions President Joseph Kabila's ruling party is maneuvering to cling to power...
US sends troops for possible ‘violent’ Congo vote protests
January 5, 2019 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — On the eve of the first expected results of Congo's long-delayed presidential election, President Donald Trump said military personnel had deployed to Central Africa to protect U...
Congo cuts internet after presidential poll beset by delays
December 31, 2018 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — As votes were counted Monday in Congo's long-delayed presidential election, the internet was cut across the vast Central African country in an apparent effort by the government to prevent social media speculation about the results after a day of balloting plagued by malfunctioning machines and other problems...
Vote counting begins in Congo, after polling beset by delays
December 30, 2018 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo's election officials began counting ballots Sunday evening, although many polling stations stayed open into the night to make up for lengthy delays in voting...
AP Explains: Why groundbreaking Congo vote could stumble
December 30, 2018 GMTJOHANNESBURG (AP) — Rich in the minerals that power the world's mobile phones and laptops, yet desperately underdeveloped, Congo votes on Sunday for its first new president in nearly two decades...
Congo on Sunday faces a troubled, long-delayed election
December 29, 2018 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congo's presidential election takes place on Sunday after more than two years of delays...
Congo election unrest spikes; EU ambassador ordered to leave
December 27, 2018 GMTBENI, Congo (AP) — Congo's march toward Sunday's election took a nasty turn on Thursday as the government ordered the European Union ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours after the EU prolonged sanctions against the ruling party's presidential candidate...
Confusion, anger grow as Congo faces Sunday’s election
December 25, 2018 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — As Congo hurtles toward Sunday's already troubled election, the opposition on Tuesday urged mobile phone companies to disable SIM cards provided for voting machines as concerns grow about how the ballots of some 40 million people will be counted and shared...
At least 50 dead, 100 burned in Congo tanker truck fire
October 6, 2018 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — At least 50 people were killed and more than 100 were badly burned when a tanker truck in Congo collided with another truck and, as villagers rushed to collect the leaking fuel, burst into flames, witnesses and officials said Saturday.
The Latest: Congo to boycott UN meetings about the country
September 27, 2018 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The latest on the United Nations General Assembly (all times local):
11:20 p.m.
Congo says it has decided to boycott two planned U.N. events focusing on the central African nation because it was not consulted on the agenda or expected outcome.
The Latest: Congo’s president says elections ‘irreversible’
September 26, 2018 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The latest on the United Nations General Assembly (all times local):
Congo’s president holds rare press conference after outcry
January 26, 2018 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — In a rare press conference, Congo's president rejected global condemnation of the violent treatment of Catholic church members and others protesting his prolonged stay in power, declaring Friday that "there is no political uncertainty...
Congo leader opens peace conference in bloody Kasai region
September 19, 2017 GMTDAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Congo President Joseph Kabila declared Tuesday that "justice must be done" as he opened a peace conference in the bloody Kasai region where thousands of people have died in a year of fighting among government troops and militias...
Congo’s Kabila leading in early results
December 2, 2011 GMTKINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Preliminary results from Congo's presidential election show incumbent Joseph Kabila leading opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, although the country's election chief warned only a small percentage of precincts had been counted.