Month: September 2025

Ebola Outbreak in Congo’s Kasai Province Claims 16 Lives

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai province is grappling with its first Ebola outbreak since 2008, resulting in 16 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that without urgent support, containment efforts could fail within weeks, reports 24brussels.

Declared by the health ministry in Kinshasa last week, this outbreak marks the country’s first Ebola incident in three years and its 16th overall, highlighting the persistence of health crises in the region. Current statistics reveal 32 suspected cases, along with 20 confirmed cases. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated a worrying increase in suspected cases, jumping from 28 to 68 since early September.

In response, the WHO has deployed experts to Bulape and Mweka, and delivered 14 tonnes of emergency supplies and equipment. To enhance the vaccination campaign, a UN peacekeeping helicopter transported hundreds of doses of the Ervebo vaccine to Kasai, with an additional 1,500 doses en route from the capital. WHO official Patrick Otim announced that 400 doses had already reached Bulape, the outbreak’s epicenter, and vaccinations would commence promptly. The organization is seeking to acquire 40,000 to 50,000 more doses.

Otim emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Containing the outbreak is possible, but it will be challenging if we miss the window of opportunity. We have the expertise, DRC has the expertise, but we need to be able to get the people and supplies into place and we need to be able to pay for the operations.”

As the outbreak spreads, now reaching 70 kilometers beyond Bulape, new treatment facilities will be necessary. Otim also pointed out the moderate risk of regional transmission, particularly identifying Angola as a vulnerable neighboring country.

Furthermore, concerns are growing regarding recent cuts to U.S. funding, which previously amounted to as much as $11.5 million through USAID in 2021 for Ebola operations in Congo. Aid workers worry that the reduction in U.S. support structures could negatively impact the current response to the outbreak.

WHO officials indicate that the next two weeks are critical in determining whether the outbreak can be contained within Kasai or escalate into a broader regional emergency.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed accusations from Chișinău that Moscow and the Russian Orthodox Church are attempting to sway Moldova’s upcoming parliamentary elections. At a briefing in Moscow on September 12, ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the statements from Moldovan officials “groundless” and insisted that there is no proof that Russia is using church structures to shape the vote. She further urged international organizations to examine what she described as discriminatory restrictions imposed on Archbishop Markel, a senior cleric of the Moscow Patriarchate in Moldova, who was recently barred from leaving the country to attend a religious ceremony in Israel. Zakharova criticized the Moldovan accusations as an attempt to discredit the Russian Orthodox Church.

Clergy involvement and political campaigning

Moldovan authorities and independent analysts argue that the Russian Orthodox Church has become a tool of political influence, especially during election periods. Priests linked to the Moscow Patriarchate have reportedly echoed pro-Russian narratives in sermons, criticized the country’s European path, and offered implicit backing to pro-Russian political groups. Some parties, such as the radical “Patriotic Electoral Bloc,” have campaigned around church sites despite a legal ban on religious institutions engaging in electioneering. Moldova’s Central Election Commission has issued formal warnings to church bodies, while the European Union has voiced concern over disinformation campaigns tied to religious structures.

Funding networks and oligarchic ties

Authorities in Chișinău have also pointed to financial flows supporting these activities. According to officials, money is channeled into Moldova through church-linked networks connected to Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeev and exiled Moldovan businessman Ilan Șor. These funds are alleged to finance pro-Russian parties, anti-government demonstrations, and campaigns opposing Moldova’s integration with the West. Such financial channels, combined with the church’s influence, are seen as part of a wider strategy to return Moldova to Russia’s sphere of influence.

Struggle over Moldova’s European orientation

The Moscow Patriarchate plays a significant role through its Chișinău Metropolis, which remains under Russian ecclesiastical authority. Decisions such as appointing bishops in Transnistria are taken in Moscow without consultation with local clergy, underscoring the lack of autonomy. The Moldovan Orthodox leadership has accused the Russian church of attempting to pull the country into the “Russkiy Mir” — the ideological project of Russian-led cultural and political space. Metropolitan Vladimir has openly stated that such moves clash with Moldova’s Latin cultural heritage and undermine its European aspirations.