This Week in the Great Lakes: Congo and UN tango over child soldiers while US preaches engagement
The UN Security Council sanctions a Congolese commander for recruiting child soldiers. Congo retains American military aid after the Obama Administration exempts (pdf) DRC from sanctions for child soldier recruitment, citing a belief that working with "troubled militaries is the best way to reform them." Rights groups say recruiting child soldiers continues.
Congo protests the loss of trading privileges with the US after the Obama Administration accuses its army of complicity in crimes against civilians. A French emissary calls human rights in the country a "shipwreck." The US and Congo sign a nuclear non-proliferation agreement. The US accuses a Congolese company rumored to be linked to Kabila of funding Hezbollah. Congo could be getting a new political party.
