131 - Who Controls Eastern Congo?

The last few years have seen a dramatic shift in the balance of power in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with Rwandan-backed militias advancing in North Kivu, Ugandan forces launching cross-border operations, and Western powers quietly increasing their presence in the region. What was once considered a forgotten conflict is now emerging as a new front in the global competition for influence, driven not just by security concerns, but by the region’s immense mineral wealth, critical for everything from electric vehicles to modern electronics.

This week, we sit down with our expert panel to unpack who actually controls eastern Congo, why this strip of land has become so strategically valuable to outside powers, and how the local conflict is fast becoming a global contest between rival blocs.

On the panel this week:

- Hugh Kinsella Cunningham (DRC Photojournalist)

- Alex Vines (Chatham House)

- Michael Rubin (AEI)

Intro - 00:00

PART I - 03:30

PART II - 40:38

PART III - 1:02:51

Outro - 1:33:03

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