Retrobyte
Hates a beer
Five years ago, Tshisekedi was humiliated by the Congolese people, coming third in the presidential race. Yet, against all available evidence that Martin Fayulu had won by a landslide, he was declared the winner – a decision the US supported. Huge international grants and credits to his regime followed, including $750m from the World Bank and a $1.5bn loan from the International Monetary Fund. Some success for a man whose record might be judged incompetent and who was rejected by voters.
In return, Tshisekedi said he would end China’s control over the DRC’s rare minerals, which poses a strategic challenge for the US and EU’s clean-energy ambitions.
The US government are probably as happy as we are with the return on their investment in the DRC so far.