Talks @ Pulitzer: Money and Power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Join us on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, for a Talks@Pulitzer in Washington, DC, with award-winning journalist Michael Kavanagh. He speaks about his experiences reporting on President Joseph Kabila and the Democratic Republic of Congo as its leader clings to power and throws the country into a constitutional crisis. 

Kavanagh, who has been reporting on politics and economics in the DRC since 2004, focuses his most recent project on accusations that Kabila plans on keeping a permanent grip on power. In December 2016, after 10 years in power, the president suppressed his opponents and postponed elections. Critics argue that the leader's entrenched business ties create an economic conflict of interest—but information about Kabila's financial investments is sparse.

With support from the Pulitzer Center, Kavanagh worked on two pieces alongside New York University's Congo Research Group. One story, written for Bloomberg, explores the links between Kabila, his family, and the businesses they run. The second is a 52-page report that further outlines the president's business ties and provides policy recommendations to the Congolese government.

Kavanagh's previous project for the Pulitzer Center centered around ethnic conflict within the DRC, winning him the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for International Reporting, an Edward R. Murrow award, and an Emmy nomination. He has been published in The Economist and Slate.

Light reception at 5:30pm, with the talk beginning at 6:00pm. The event is free and open to the public.

Reserve your seat today!