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Ep. 01
In 2012, AfrobeatRadio delved into the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), speaking with activists, scholars, and Congolese citizens to explore the root causes of the violence. This podcast series examines the war over the DRC’s vast mineral wealth, from King Leopold’s brutal rule to today’s resource-driven conflicts, the DRC’s history continues to shape its present and future.
The DRC, a country rich in natural resources, has been at the center of exploitation by both regional and international players. The illicit trade of coltan—a critical mineral used in electronics—has fueled conflict, with neighboring nations such as Rwanda and Uganda and multinational corporations profiting at the expense of the Congolese people. Reports from the United Nations have linked military and corporate interests to the continued destabilization of the region, making it clear that the struggle for control over these resources is a driving force behind the violence. Throughout this series, we will feature interviews with activists, scholars, and Congolese citizens, each shedding light on different aspects of the conflict.
Professor Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja (born February 3, 1944) is a distinguished Congolese academic, author, and diplomat. He is a Professor of African and Afro-American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he specializes in African and global studies. Prof. Nzogola-Ntalaja has played an influential role in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s political and academic spheres, contributing significantly to the country’s democratic movements in the 1980s and 1990s.
He organized two key conferences at Howard University: the first in 1984, titled The Crisis in Zaire: Myths and Realities, which examined the political instability in the country at that time; and the second in 1990, Perspectives for Democracy in Zaire, which was attended by major political figures. In addition to his academic work, Prof. Nzogola-Ntalaja was a key participant in the 1991-1992 Sovereign National Conference, where he served as Chair of the Political File, and later became a member of the Electoral Commission in 1996, though he resigned in protest.
Prof. Nzogola-Ntalaja is the author of several influential books, including The Congo: From Leopold to Kabila: A People’s History. His scholarship is widely respected, with Mahmood Mamdani, Herbert Lehman Professor of Government at Columbia University, describing him as one of the few intellectuals capable of assessing the Congo’s historical and contemporary challenges. In addition to his academic contributions, Prof. Nzogola-Ntalaja served as the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations from 2022 to 2023.
Host: Wuyi Jacobs