Bram Verelst

Will the US brokered Rwanda-DRC deal pave the way for peace? | ISS Africa Domestic power struggles between President Tshisekedi and former president Kabila will likely complicate difficult negotiations with M23.

issafrica.org/iss-today/wi...

US: Don’t Forcibly Transfer Migrants to Libya The United States should not forcibly transfer migrants to Libya, where inhumane detention conditions are well-documented, including torture, ill treatment, sexual assault, and unlawful killings.

www.hrw.org/news/2025/05...

Exclusive: U.S. may soon deport migrants to Libya on military flight, sources say U.S. President Donald Trump's administration may deport migrants to Libya for the first time this week, three U.S. officials said on Tuesday, as part of his immigration crackdown and despite Washington's past condemnation of Libya's harsh treatment of detainees.

The EU and the US, racing to the bottom in Libya.

www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

Challenges facing the latest truce between Kinshasa and M23 | ISS Africa Dynamics on the ground in eastern DRC and the country’s capital will test Qatar’s mediation efforts.

issafrica.org/iss-today/ch...

While the DRC is courting the US with a minerals-for-security deal, it is being considered for travel restrictions by a new US travel ban (as is Angola).

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/u...

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/u...

Processus électoral : La montée des inquiétudes À trois mois des premières élections de 2025, les inquiétudes grandissent sur leur organisation. Partis et coalitions alertent sur des défis majeurs : climat politique et sécuritaire tendu, cadre léga...

Worrying signs as Burundi approaches elections.

www.iwacu-burundi.org/processus-el...

Conflit dans l'est de la RDC: la réunion ministérielle EAC-SADC reportée Cette réunion, présentée comme clé, devait se tenir ce vendredi 28 février à Harare entre les ministres de la SADC et de l’EAC. Elle n'a finalement pas eu lieu. Selon les délégations rwandaise et cong...

The planned regional summit that was, apparently, not planned.

www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/2...

Opmars M23 in Oost-Congo: ‘Koloniale grenzen worden openlijk in vraag gesteld’ Nu de rebellenalliantie M23 grote delen van Kivu controleert, verbergen de buurlanden Oeganda en Rwanda amper nog waarom ze met troepen in Oost-Congo aanwezig zijn. ‘De logica van ‘land for peace’ in de oorlog tussen Rusland en Oekraïne zal wellicht ook in Rwanda met interesse gevolgd worden.’

Opmars M23 in Oost-Congo: ‘Koloniale grenzen worden openlijk in vraag gesteld’

Le malaise de l'Union africaine face au conflit dans l'est de la RDC Pendant que l’AFC/M23, soutenu par l’armée rwandaise, faisait son entrée dans Bukavu ce week-end, les chefs d’États de l’Union africaine, étaient réunis à Addis-Abeba pour leur sommet annuel. Le confl...

"Un seul pays, le Burundi, a plaidé ce dimanche 16 février pour que les chefs d’État condamnent le Rwanda en conclusion de leur sommet. Mais dans la salle, « personne n’a rebondi », raconte un participant."

www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/2...

DR Congo: M23 Drives Displaced People From Goma Camps The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has unlawfully ordered tens of thousands of displaced people to leave the camps around Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

M23 forcefully displacing already displaced civilians is a violation of international humanitarian law. This from a movement demanding the return of (mostly) Tutsi refugees to the DRC.

www.hrw.org/news/2025/02...

6 days ago, the EAC-SADC summit directed army chiefs to meet within 5 days to provide direction on an immediate ceasefire and develop a securitisation plan for Goma. In the meantime, M23/AFC consolidated its control over Goma and progressed Southward, taking control of Kavumu airport today.

no. 71—Whither Humanitarianism? THE FIRST QUARTER of the twenty-first century fast approaches its end, and all is not well in human welfare. According to the UN secretary-general, some 360 million people worldwide are in need of…

In light of the ongoing aid cuts, a good moment to revisit this debate @thebaffler.com

thebaffler.com/issues/no-71

Danish Refugee Council announces “emergency termination” of staff The initial estimate of 2,000 layoffs would see DRC lose a quarter of its workforce.

www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2025/02...

Est de la RDC : la diplomatie régionale à l’épreuve | ISS Africa Alors que le M23 poursuit sa marche destructive, le sommet CAE-SADC doit tirer les leçons de l'échec des efforts de paix.

Version en français:

issafrica.org/fr/iss-today...

It also shows international divergences. With Western attention increasingly focused on actions against Rwanda, EAC/SADC summit prioritises dialogue, incl. with M23. Unsurprising given high internal divergences, but notable nonetheless.

The EAC/SADC summit demonstrated incapacity to deal with dynamics on the ground, as M23/AFC openly establishes itself as an occupying power in the Kivus and declares a liberation war. Not even calls to withdraw.

Eastern DRC conflict: Unpacking difficult task of regional diplomacy As M23 continues its destructive march, the upcoming EAC-SADC summit must consider lessons from failed peace efforts.

www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Eastern DRC: unpacking the difficult task of regional diplomacy | ISS Africa As M23 continues its destructive march, the EAC-SADC summit must consider lessons from failed peace efforts.

Some thoughts on the M23 crisis and prospects for regional diplomacy.

issafrica.org/iss-today/ea...

Burundi : in very critical condition, the secretary general of the CNDD-FDD was evacuated abroad - %%sitetitle%% Reverien Ndikuriyo, secretary general of the CNDD-FDD (ruling party) suddenly fell ill on Thursday. From Ngozi (northern Burundi), he was transferred to Bujumbura (commercial capital), before being ev...

This got lost in all of the news on the M23 crisis, but reports that Burundian secretary general of the ruling party CNDD-FDD, one of the most influential figures in the Burundian regime, is in a critical condition because of a sudden illness.

www.sosmediasburundi.org/en/2025/01/2...

Thanks!

Do you have access to the full piece, by any chance?

Ik sprak met @tijd.be over de Europese en Belgische houding naar het M23 conflict in Oost-Congo.

It also urgently requires increased humanitarian funding, as only half of those needs in DRC are paid for. Right-wing political playbooks across the globe are slashing aid funding, including in my home country Belgium. This will only worsen armed conflict, including in the DRC (2/2)

Although I welcome the debate on international sanctions and measures to stem the crisis in DRC, we should prioritise the immediate needs of those suffering from conflict and thus focus efforts on humanitarian access and care first. This requires involvement from multiple parties (1/2)

Misconstrued causes will lead to misconstrued solutions. We need to look beyond economic interests as well.

@afpfr.bsky.social on the escalation in Eastern DRC, with some words from me.

www.barrons.com/news/what-do...

Kenya’s President Ruto calls emergency regional summit over DRC Kenyan President William Ruto, chair of the East African Community Heads of State Summit, has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Bram Vere...

I spoke to VOA on the ongoing crisis in the DRC and regional mediation.

www.voaafrica.com/a/kenya-s-pr...

That the M23 crisis in the DRC was not even among the 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2025 of @crisisgroup.org, says a lot about the volatile times we are in today.

Only, this interview was not held by journalists, but by well-known mouthpieces of the Rwandan government. This was not 1st class reporting. I do agree with principle of allowing reporters access and oppose ban.