DRC : Corneille Nangaa and his entourage sanctioned by the United States

In a statement released on Thursday, the United States of America announced that it had taken sanctions against Corneille Nangaa, head of the Congo River Alliance (AFC) and some of his associates. The world’s leading power accuses Nangaa’s coalition of “perpetuating political instability and a deadly conflict by exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC”. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The following are also affected by U.S. sanctions : Bertrand Bisimwa, political leader of the M23, the Twirwaneho armed group composed of members of the Banyamulenge community operating in South Kivu, an ally of the AFC, Charles Sematama, deputy military leader of Twirwaneho.

“All property and interests of the persons concerned that are in the United States are frozen.” The United States of America believes that “the AFC perpetuates political instability and deadly conflict by exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo.” This is the second time in just 5 years that the former president of the CENI (National Independent Electoral Commission) in Congo has been targeted by U.S. sanctions. In 2019, Washington punished him for “his participation in actions or policies that degrade processes or institutions in the Democratic Republic of Congo”.

These new U.S. sanctions come as the military court of the vast Central African country opened a trial on Wednesday against Corneille Nangaa and his entourage. The trial is taking place in the capital Kinshasa. They are prosecuted in absentia “for war crimes, participation in an insurrectional movement and treason”. In December 2023, Corneille Nangaa launched the Congo River Alliance in the Kenyan capital, which created brief tensions between Kinshasa and Nairobi.

Some opponents and activists describe the trial against Corneille Nangaa and his entourage as inopportune.

The individuals targeted by these sanctions see their assets in the United States “frozen”, in addition to “the ban on entry visas to the American soil”.