Fighting around the town of Butembo in Nord Kivu in the eastern DRC has resulted in eight death and more injured. The traditionally insecure region is also facing a tough Ebola outbreak that has already cost 1,400 lives, and outbreaks of violence make Ebola control operations more complex. At the end of April 2019, 27 new Ebola cases were registered in one day, a negative record. Ebola has the potential to further destabilize an already unstable region, spilling over into Uganda and Rwanda, and devastating the now bustling cross-border trade. To prevent Ebola from spreading, the United Nations appointed David Gressly as the Emergency Response Coordinator. Gressly will work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to counter the spread of Ebola.
After a long decision-making process, Tshisekedi nominated Ilunga Ilunkamba, a seasoned politician, as Prime Minister of the DRC. The nomination comes after months of uncertainty who would become the PM in the aftermath of turbulent general elections. Former President Joseph Kabila’s FCC coalition won a majority in parliament and demanded that a PM be chosen from among their ranks.
