Karim Benard Dende is Internews Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He brings 14 years of experience in media and communications, civil society, governance and accountability, and election observation. He has managed media and governance projects in Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo. He has also provided expertise in media and governance for numerous projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. His work focuses on the building of local capacities, effective staff oversight, and regular communication about information-related governance issues.