Cobalt and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo

If You Don't Know

Social media has been flooded with talk and questions about the Democratic Republic of Congo. So, for those of you wondering what’s going on in the country... What’s the history behind the conflict? And why has it led to calls to boycott tech companies? This is the episode for you.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has been home to war and conflict for decades. This year there’s been an increase in violence in the east, with more than 100 armed groups fighting over territory and natural resources.

Anne Soy, the BBC senior Africa correspondent, kicks off the episode by dipping into the history of the long-running conflict. Anneke Van Woudenburg - from RAID, a human rights NGO - also fills us in on the country’s controversial mining industry. And De-Graft is joined by Junior Masandi - he was born in the DRC, but moved to the UK when he was ten-years-old.

Presenter: De-Graft Mensah Producer: Kamilah Mclnnis Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder Sound: Kamilah McInnis and Dave O’Neill Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham