Episode description

“Our minerals, yes, are important for the advancement of the world, but they are also important for the progress of our people. We could share these minerals with the world, but our people must come first” - Shanty Tshiela Byart-Mutombo, DRC company owner On Friday, the 14th of February, the M23 rebels started entering Bukavu, having already captured another strategic city, Goma. The Rwandan-backed militants' progress comes despite international calls for a ceasefire and a resumption of talks aimed at ending the conflict in the DRC. For more than three decades, armed groups have competed with the central government for power and control of the mineral-rich country. The conflict has claimed countless lives over the years, with hundreds of thousands of people being displaced in the last few weeks alone. Its impact is being felt by citizens and businesses countrywide. Today Alan Kasujja sits down with local entrepreneur Shanty Tshiela Byart-Mutombo, to find out what it’s like to run a company during such a difficult time.