Democratic Republic of the Congo
On June 19, 2024, AFJN partnered with Aimable Mugisha and his music band, Amahoro Youth (Youth for Peace), to promote peaceful coexistence, unity and diversity while celebrating the 15th anniversary…
On May 29, Africa Faith and Justice Network Policy Analyst Jacques Bahati was on “The Centrality of Congo to Black Liberation” on WPFW 89.3 FM in Washington, DC.
Read the Africa Faith and Justice Network’s 2023 End of Year Report: Activity Highlights & Activities
Join the Africa Faith and Justice Network and Friends of the Congo for “Crisis in the Congo: Voices from the Frontlines” with Justine Masika and Pascal Mugaruka, recently arrived in Washington, DC from Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They will provide firsthand accounts of the atrocities, displacement and occupation being carried out by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia. They will also share policy prescriptions that U.S. policymakers can implement in order to contribute to peace and stability in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In our ministry, we celebrate the strength and power of women worldwide, and send a resounding shoutout to the important role of Catholic nuns whose tireless passion for social justice has helped advance the rights of women in Africa for 40 years.
Join us in solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for a live-streamed gathering that will feature reflections from faith leaders, musicians, activists, renowned figures and ordinary people who have come together to demand an end to conflict and appeal for accountability and peace in the DRC.
The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) is hosting an online event on the ongoing Rwanda-Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Crisis. The event “End it : Rwanda-DR Congo Crisis” on August 25, 2022 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET will feature voices from the DRC who will provide updates and analysis. The panelists will also examine the role of the international community in the more than two decades long crisis. The event will also feature Q&A from the audience where audience members may speak and submit their comments on Zoom. This online event is free and open to the public.
Washington, DC – The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), a Catholic 501(c)3 organization, sent a letter to US Secretary of State, Antony John Blinken, ahead of his visit to Africa where Secretary Blinken is expected to make a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. In the letter, AFJN urged Secretary Blinken to hold frank discussions on “Rwanda’s violations of DRC’s territorial integrity, bad governance in the DRC”, and the role of the UN peacekeepers in DRC.
Ahead of your August 2022 meetings with leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) (a non-partisan coalition of 28 US-based religious communities) urges frank discussions on the following issues: Rwanda’s violations of DRC’s territorial integrity, bad governance in the DRC, and reasons why the UN peacekeepers should leave.
The world was shocked on February 22, 2021 when news of the ambush and killing of the Italian Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) hit the media. What the world, and many media outlets, failed to report is that crimes like these are hardly new. The killing of such a high profiled political appointment as Ambassador Luca Attanassio only brought attention to a crisis that the Congolese have been facing in this region for over 20 years despite the presence of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces. The high level of insecurity in this region of the DRC has been ongoing with the most recent events being the killing of Ambassador Attanassio.
Washington, DC – le Jeudi 9 Juillet 2020, des milliers de citoyens de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) sont descendus dans la rue pour protester contre la nomination de M. Ronsard Malonda à la tête de la Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante (CENI). Au mépris de l’ordre du gouvernement interdisant les manifestations en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19 et organisé par l’Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social (UDPS), les manifestants sont sortis en grand nombre montrant leur désapprobation du système qui avait nommé M. Malonda qui est actuellement le Secrétaire National Exécutif de la CENI.
Washington, DC – On thursday, thousands of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) citizens took to the streets in protest to the nomination of Mr. Ronsard Malonda to head the National Independent Election Commission (NIEC). In defiance of the government order forbidding protests due to the COVID-19 pandemic and organized by the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, the protesters came out in large numbers showing their disapproval of the system that had nominated Mr. Malonda who is currently the National Executive Secretary of the DRC NIEC.
On June 20, 2020 a Judge in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) sentenced one of the country’s high level official, Mr. Kamerhe Lwa Kanyigini Vital, the President’s chief of…
On June 30, 2020, the Africa Faith and Justice Network was one of the signers of the “Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Proposed Judiciary Reforms are devastating and Unconstitutional,” letter…
Washington, DC – (En Francais) A judiciary reform bill being considered in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Parliament is attempting to undermine the Judiciary’s autonomy. If passed, the Judiciary will be answerable to the Minister of Justice, a politically appointed position of the Executive Branch. The DRC’s Constitution states that each branch of the government is autonomous, so if passed the bill would be changing the essential structure of the Republic. Also constitutional revisions are illegal during a state of urgency, like the current COVID-19 pandemic. Many Congolese assert that if this bill passes, it would halt the progress made by the Judiciary and supported by DRC President Felix Tshisekedi with tackling corruption.
Washington, DC – (English Version) Un projet de loi sur la réforme judiciaire en cours d’examen au Parlement de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) tente de saper l’autonomie du pouvoir judiciaire. S’il est adopté, le pouvoir judiciaire devra répondre au le ministre de la Justice, un poste politique du pouvoir exécutif. La Constitution de la RDC stipule que chaque branche du gouvernement est autonome. Par conséquent, s’il était adopté, le projet de loi modifierait la structure essentielle de la République. Les révisions constitutionnelles sont également illégales pendant un état d’urgence, comme la pandémie actuelle de COVID-19. De nombreux Congolais affirment que si ce projet de loi est adopté, il mettrait un terme aux progrès réalisés par le pouvoir judiciaire et soutenu par le président de la RDC, Felix Tshisekedi, pour lutter contre la corruption.
On April 19, Voice of America reported that in “BENI – An Ebola flare-up in eastern Congo may spread again after a patient escaped from a clinic, complicating efforts to…
[Lire en Français] The Coronavirus pandemic has terrorized the world and brought us to a grinding halt. Data from COVID-19 Tracker at Johns Hopkins University indicate that over one million…
[Read in English] La pandémie de coronavirus a terrorisé le monde et nous a paralysés. Le nombre de cas de Covid-19 dans le monde a dépassé un million, avec un…
An interview with Florentin Mokonda Bonza, Professor at the University of Kinshasa and President of the Convention of Christian Democrats (CDC) and of the political platform the New Initiative for…
