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Eastern Congo Initiative

ECI News

ECI News May 27, 2016


ECI Weekly News for Friday, May 27







 

A New Look at Congo Coffee
By Baraka Kasali and Kambale Kisumba Kamungele
On a humid Saturday morning in July, Steven Kanane hiked the slopes of the small village of Mushenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. He’s made this journey to the washing station many times since 2012 as the president of the KACCO cooperative, but this time it was different. He was being followed by a flood of curious children and cameramen following his every move as he explained to NBA star Bismack Biyombo and international journalist Soledad O’Brien what convinced Starbucks Coffee to source Congolese coffee for the first time. This was the second time that such a spectacle took place in Mushenyi. Two months earlier, Steven and his staff had discussed processing techniques to Starbucks executives. That day, he welcomed them by saying, ‘you are the first people to come and visit this community in a really long time.’ Read more…

ECI in the News
Toronto Raptors’ Bismack Biyombo more than just a force on court for Toronto’s Congolese community – Gilbert Ngabo, Toronto Metro – read

Partners
Intersection of human rights and health care – Dr. Denis Mukwege, Huffington Post –read

Opinion
The United States should learn from its past blunders in Congo – Karen Attiah, Washington Post – read

World Humanitarian Summit: Breaking the cycle of cynicism in castern Congo –Sarah Pickwick, World Vision – read

Interview with Ida Sawyer, Human Rights Watch- Jason K. Stearns, Congo Research Group – listen

Economy
Congo repeats view that Freeport ‘unilaterally’ sold copper mine – Tom Wilson, Bloomberg – read

Failure to manage commodities windfall forces Congo budget cuts – World Politics Review – read

Kabila’s cling to power devastating for investment in the DRC – Jessica Moody, Mineweb – read

Gender-based Violence
The actual state of sexualized violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo –Lauren Wolfe, Women Under Siege – read

Peace
Mission resumes to rid DRC of rebel groups – CAJ News – read

Conflict
Rights group: 2 aid workers kidnapped in eastern Congo – AP – read

Fatal firefight in Congo park highlights threats to rangers – AP – read

What it’s like to be married to the men doing ‘the most dangerous conservation job in the world’ –  Katya Cengel, PRI – read

Health
Five days and five nights with Doctors Without Borders – Jason Beaubien, NPR – read

Toxic gas beneath DRC lake threatens millions – Judith Raupp, Deutsche Welle –read

Elections
What is there to learn from the May 26 demostrations? – Jason K. Stearns, Congo Reseaerch Group – read

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations – read

The saga of Moïse Katumbi, Congo’s perennial challenger – Placide Magambo, OkayAfrica – read

Congo seeks to expel EU ambassador: officials – AFP – read

Other DRC News
Stunning footage of a glowing lava lake at the Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo filmed earlier this month – MSN – watch