ACTIVISTS FOR CONGO INTERRUPT 37TH AU SUMMIT

Protesters interrupted proceedings at the 37th African Union (AU) Summit on 18 February in Addis Ababa. They held placards calling for ending the decades-long conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

This action marks a spirited campaign that has escalated in recent weeks. In the DRC, Congolese have taken to the streets and ripped foreign flags off buildings to condemn Western complicity. During the recent Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ivory Coast, DRC players grabbed the world’s attention through silent protests at matches and social media posts.

The AU was founded on the ideals of leaders like Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah. But the continental body has been a toothless bulldog in the face of Africa’s myriad of crises. In the eastern DRC, 6 million have been killed and close to 7 million internally displaced since the mid-1990s.

While the body has been silent on foreign entities looting the continent, it has quickly taken action against countries fighting to regain their sovereignty. The AU suspended Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger after each country overthrew French-backed governments and severed links with France. Meanwhile, the AU has yet to act against constitutional coups in Ivory Coast and Senegal.