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Overview
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire, won its independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960. Located in Central Africa, it borders the Central African Republic and Sudan in the North, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda in the East, Angola and Zambia in the South, and the Republic of Congo in the West. The DRC is an ethnically diverse state with over 254 ethno-linguistic minority groups. The Bantu account for approximately 84% of the population of 54.8 million. Although it is the third largest country in Africa with vast natural resources, the DRC has a GDP per capita of only $116. The past decade has witnessed regime instability, caused by sporadic infighting between various warlords, resulting in four million civilian casualties. At one period the conflict drew in seven other African countries. It was called ‘Africa’s World War.’ In July 2006 the DRC held presidential and parliamentary elections, and a runoff presidential election was held in December 2006, resulting in the election of Joseph Kabila as president.
Social Indicators
Although demographic pressures began to improve slightly from the previous year, this indicator still received a score of 9.4 in the Failed States Index (FSI) 2007 because of the country’s large youth bulge (47% of the population was under 15), high population growth rate of 3%, and high infant mortality rate of 88 per 1,000 births. Refugees and IDPs improved from 9.5 in the FSI 2006 to 8.9 in the FSI 2007 as Congolese refugees and displaced persons continued to return home after elections, although some returning refugees became internally displaced after finding their land occupied by others. Attempts by UN peacekeepers to disarm rebels ahead of the 2006 elections also displaced thousands of people in the northeast, and the DRC is host to refugees from at least six different neighboring countries. Group grievance decreased to 8.8 in the FSI 2007 as the disarmament of rebel groups continued, but the score for this indicator remained fairly high due to the legacy of the recent civil war and continued violence in some parts of the country, especially in the east. Some of this violence is motivated by ethnic grievances such as the unwillingness of the government to allow the return of Congolese-Tutsi refugees, who have been labeled Rwandans. A local Nande Mai Mai militia near Goma also continued to exacerbate ethnic tensions by refusing to join the national army and raiding the local population. Human flight improved as a result of the successful 2006 elections, which caused some Congolese, who had migrated abroad during the civil war, to return.
Economic Indicators
The DRC is rich in natural resources, including diamonds and minerals such as gold, copper, cobalt, and uranium. However, corruption in the DRC is widespread, and profits from the country’s vast resources often end up in private bank accounts without benefiting the country as a whole. Neighboring countries have also been accused of stealing resources and selling them in the open market as their own. Conflict and corruption have greatly disrupted economic growth, contributing to the rating of 8.0 for the economy in the FSI 2007. Uneven development scored even higher at 9.1, a slight increase from the previous year, due to widespread poverty and inequality, which has prompted the UN to send millions in humanitarian aid. Political/Military Indicators
Legitimacy of the state improved noticeably, from 9.0 in the FSI 2006 to 8.3 in the FSI 2007, following the DRC’s first nationwide democratic elections since independence. Although the elections were accompanied by sporadic violence, it was less severe than many had feared, and international monitors considered the elections to be credible. Corruption in government, however, continued to be a problem. There was a slight improvement in public services, although these remained seriously lacking throughout the country and close to nonexistent in some regions. Services were often provided by international humanitarian groups rather than the government. The score for human rights improved from 9.5 in the FSI 2006 to 8.9 in the FSI 2007 as violence decreased throughout the country, although human rights violations remained common. Both government soldiers and rebels continued to abuse civilians, especially those belonging to rival ethnic groups, and abuses usually went unpunished. Human rights abuses occurred in all areas of the country, although they were most widespread in the violent eastern regions. The indicator for the security apparatus improved slightly from the previous year, from 9.8 to 9.6, although serious problems remained. Many former rebels integrated into the army remained loyal to the warlords they had once served and are at odds with the government. The most improved indicator was factionalized elites, which fell from 9.6 to 8.6 after the elections, which decreased fragmentation within the government. External intervention also decreased, from the maximum score of 10.0 in the FSI 2006 to 9.6 in the FSI 2007, although UN peacekeepers remain in the country and the government remains heavily dependent on foreign aid.
Core Five State Institutions
| Leadership | Military | Police | Judiciary | Civil Service |  |  | | | | | Weak | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor |
The current president, Joseph Kabila, first came to power after the assassination of his father. He was elected president in a runoff election in October 2006. But the new government remains weak, is prone to corruption, and does not exercise control over vast parts of the country. Members of the former rebel groups have been incorporated into the Congolese military, but some continue to be loyal to their former commanders, and militants remain autonomous in the eastern regions. The Congolese military is plagued with allegations of human rights abuses. Some observers argue that it is because soldiers are subject to poor living conditions, are underpaid, and under-trained. The military is also accused of mineral smuggling as well as misuse of international military aid. The police force is corrupt and known to take bribes. Human rights groups have accused the police of violations of human rights, which include the rape and torture of citizens. The judiciary is underpaid, inefficient, plagued with corruption, and subject to government interference. Major restructuring is necessary in order to regain credibility. The capacity of the civil service is weak and hindered by corruption and a lack of resources.
Prognosis
In July of 2006, the first democratic elections in over 40 years were held in the DRC. Joseph Kabila was elected over Jean-Pierre Bemba, who accepted the defeat, despite fears that he would not. Victory in the elections gave Kabila the legitimacy to lead in the DRC. But the country is far from stable. After the election, the fighting between Kabila’s and Bemba’s supporters continued, resulting in Bemba’s departure to Portugal, and some warlords have refused to demobilize their forces. The new government will need to combat corruption, develop an army capable of stamping out the remaining rebel groups, and use the country’s resources to promote economic development if the DRC is to continue on a path toward greater stability.
Copyright (C) 2007 The Fund for Peace
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