MYSTERIOUS: 13 - What They Never Told You

Through the lens: the beauty of the Congo Basin and its fragile future

The Congo Basin rainforest is the world’s largest carbon sink, absorbing more carbon dioxide than the Amazon. Often described as Africa’s “green lung”, it helps regulate the global climate, with peatlands that lock away huge amounts of carbon. But the region is under pressure from deforestation, industrial logging and plans…

Radio France Internationale · Feb 21

France confirms its soldiers are in DR Congo, but only to train local troops

France has clarified that its military personnel are in the Democratic Republic of Congo to train members of the country's armed forces, following speculation sparked by images of soldiers wearing French uniform that were shared on social media.

Radio France Internationale · Feb 20

Spotlight on Africa: the race for Africa's critical minerals

In this episode of Spotlight on Africa, we're looking at the race for critical minerals on the continent. In the first week of February, around forty African delegations were invited to Washington DC for a summit dedicated to the issue. The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo appear keen…

Radio France Internationale · Feb 17

Rare twins born in DRC raise cautious hope for endangered mountain gorillas

Virunga park ranger says babies are well cared for by mother Mafuko but high infant mortality makes first weeks critical

The Guardian - UK · Jan 17

Historic market in Kinshasa ready to reopen to a million shoppers a day after five-year makeover

Long criticised as overcrowded and filthy, the city’s Zando marketplace has had an elegant and sustainable redesign

The Guardian - UK · Jan 15

DRC remembers fatal plane crash in Kinshasa city centre, 30 years on

On 8 January 1996, a Russian-built Antonov aircraft crashed into a market in Kinshasha city centre, killing at least 237 people in one of the worst tragedies in African aviation history. Thirty years on, the market is bustling once more, but the city has not forgotten the victims.

Radio France Internationale · Jan 8

Kinshasa’s last baobab: how a tree designed for survival faces its biggest threat yet

In this week’s newsletter: nature’s last stand against the DRC capital’s rampant development, plus looking back on last year’s stories of hope

The Guardian - UK · Jan 7

‘The soul of the city’: can Kinshasa’s last remaining baobab tree be saved?

Across Africa, baobabs have rich symbolic meaning, but the breakneck expansion of the DRC’s capital has reduced their number in the city centre to one

The Guardian - UK · Jan 7

DRC boss Desabre says Algeria clash offers chance to show squad's progress

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) head coach Sebastian Desabre urged his players to show the extent of their experience and tactical development during Tuesday night's clash against Algeria in the last-16 at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Radio France Internationale · Jan 6

The challenges of protecting wildlife from war in eastern DRC

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's Maiko National Park, a few committed rangers have succeeded in protecting gorillas, elephants and other animals from the surrounding fighting. RFI spoke to the park's assistant director, Alain Mukiranya, about guarding wildlife in the middle of a war zone.

Radio France Internationale · Jan 5