News | United States
| Obama Sends Troops to Help Fight the LRA | |
The White House | Office of the Press Secretary - October 14, 2011 | |
 | "I have authorized a small number of combat-equipped U.S. forces to deploy to central Africa to provide assistance to regional forces that are working toward the removal of Joseph Kony from the battlefield. I believe that deploying these U.S. Armed Forces furthers U.S. national security interests and foreign policy and will be a significant contribution toward counter-LRA efforts in central Africa," President Barack Obama wrote to the U.S. Congress on Friday. |
| Controversy over "conflict minerals" law | |
IRIN - August 2, 2011 | |
 | Major industries are seeking to alter the proposed US reporting rules on “conflict minerals” mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a bid to stem the flow of money from minerals mined in eastern Congo, widely seen as fuelling the ongoing conflicts, the US government included a clause in the financial reform legislation of July 2010, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. |
| U.S. service members, Congo military quick-responders make final push to exercise finale | |
Tech. Sgt. John Orrell | AFNS - May 3, 2011 | |
 | After a week of classroom training, during MEDLITE 11, U.S. service members, along with members of the Democratic Republic of the Congo armed forces quick-response force, or UMIR, began training May 2 here on a C-130 Hercules. |
| New Law Aims to Halt Sale of Conflict Minerals | |
Heather Murdock | VOA News - April 18, 2011 | |
 | In the Congolese countryside, there is said to be $24 trillion worth of precious minerals like tantalum, tungsten, gold and tin. They are used to make everything from light bulbs to airplanes, and have long funded the conflict in the country’s tumultuous eastern provinces. |
| Plight of the Congo Is Focus of U.S. Congress Hearing | |
chrissmith.house.gov - March 8, 2011 | |
 | The tragedy and hopes for peace in the Congo was the focus of a hearing held today by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Africa, Global Health and Human Rights Subcommittee. Actor Ben Affleck testified about the work of the Eastern Congo Initiative, including his travel to the DRC. |
| Foreign 'gold smugglers' arrested in eastern Congo | |
BBC News - February 7, 2011 | |
 | Eight foreigners - from the US, France and Nigeria - have been arrested on allegations of gold smuggling in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials say. "Millions of dollars" and 436kg of gold were seized, the local governor said. |
| Companies Struggle in Conflict Mineral Index | |
VOA News - December 14, 2010 | |
 | A new U.S. report ranking companies on their efforts to stop the use of so-called conflict minerals from eastern Congo in electronic devices shows lots of improvement is needed. The U.S.-based Enough Project is ranking industry leaders in consumer electronics products that use tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold in their components. The U.S.-based Enough Project is ranking industry leaders in consumer electronics products that use tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold in their components. |
| WikiLeaks Founder Arrested in London | |
VOA News - December 7, 2010 | |
 | WikiLeaks has angered the U.S. government and officials around the world by releasing classified American military documents and U.S. diplomatic cables. Most recently, the leaked cables allegedly revealed a list of international sites the United States regards as vital to its security, from satellite earth stations here in Britain to a cobalt mine in Congo. |
| List of facilities 'vital to US security' leaked | |
BBC News - December 5, 2010 | |
 | A long list of key facilities around the world that the US describes as vital to its national security has been released by Wikileaks. In addition to obvious pieces of strategic infrastructure like communications hubs, gas pipelines and so on, it contains, amongst other things, a cobalt mine in Congo, an anti-snake venom factory in Australia and an insulin plant in Denmark. |
| Actor Ben Affleck Advocates More US Involvement in DRC | |
VOA News - December 3, 2010 | |
 | Hollywood Actor and Director Ben Affleck was in Washington this week, pushing for greater US engagement in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has founded an organization called "The Eastern Congo Initiative." Affleck says the DRC is at a critical juncture in its transition from war to peace. |
