“Without it being tough, without me leaving my family at 16 and going to Yemen and going to Spain before I was able to accomplish my dream, I never would have learned the lesson of life. I never would have learned the lesson of giving back and how to reach out to the community.” — Bismack Biyombo

DRCongo to scrap illegal China logging contracts – AFP – read

DRC Helios Towers secures US$105 million funding – IT News Africa – read

AfDB backing Democratic Republic of Congo’s electricity coverage – ESI Africa –read

Congo agrees to mining companies’ demands to resume VAT repayments – Aaron Ross, Reuters – read

Banro sets new production records at DRC gold mines – Mining Weekly – read

WHO launches yellow fever vaccine campaign in Angola, DRCongo – AFP – read

Kabila adviser says Congo leader will quit, but not this year – Thomas Wilson, Bloomberg – read

Congo opposition leader says talks must lead to vote this year – Alan Katz, Thomas Wilson, Bloomberg – read

Congolese presidential candidate urges use of sanctions to bring about democratic change in DRC –Ashish Kumar Sen, Atlantic Council – read

Support for facilitation of national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo –John Kirby, US Department of State – read

Clinton and Trump will be OK post-election, but what about candidates in Africa? – Mike Rettig, The Hill – read

Mandela or Mobutu Moment in South Sudan? – John Prendergast, The Daily Beast –read