Humanitarian workers and Journalists in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: A negotiated friendship

This research questions the relationships that humanitarian actors in Goma (capital of the North Kivu province, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo) have with Congolese journalists working in the city. The analysis of sixteen semi-structured interviews with humanitarians and media actors helps understanding how they interact. The article sets out the context of their exchanges, the objectives they pursue, the means they use to achieve these objectives and the way they assess their collaboration. More generally, it emphasizes the importance of taking into account the perceptions towards each others, in order to achieve the effectiveness of the humanitarian relief.