For more than a year and a half, UN peacekeepers have continuously supported military operations conducted by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) against the Rwandan rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in North and South Kivu.

The UN's release of a long awaited report on crimes committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 1993-2003 is not only an opportunity to re-examine the historical record of mass violence in DRC -- the scale and nature of which was often overlooked in the wake of the genocide in neighboring Rwanda -- but is also a chance to correct the terms of the deceptive and fragile peace some leaders wish to proclaim in the resource-rich Great Lakes region of Africa.

The attempt by Congo and Rwanda to end the deadly conflict in eastern Congo by a secret presidential deal and military force is failing and must be changed fundamentally by the Kinshasa government and the international community.

Despite three agreements between the rebels and the government, peace is still elusive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Kivus need regional dialogue and a clear, fair repatriation plan, argues Thierry Vircoulon at the International Crisis Group.

A la veille de l’entrée en vigueur le 15 avril de l’obligation de rendre publique l’origine des minerais pour les grandes compagnies basées aux Etats-Unis, ICG a effectué une mission au Nord Kivu afin d’évaluer les différentes stratégies de lutte contre les minerais des conflits et leur impact sur le terrain.

As legislation requiring large U.S. companies to disclose the origins of the minerals they use is meant to come into force this year, Crisis Group sent a mission to North Kivu to assess the different strategies used to fight conflict minerals and their impact in the field.

Faced with the dilemma of respecting the constitutional deadline and organising botched elections, or ignoring that deadline and sliding into a situation of unconstitutional power, the Congolese authorities have chosen the first option.

On 15 June 2011 the Congolese Parliament adopted, after nearly three months of de-bate, the new electoral law. The Senate, or upper house, controlled by the opposition, and the National Assembly, or lower house, controlled by the ruling coalition, both voted for an electoral law which ultimately remains very similar to that governing the 2006 elections. Parliament took three months of debate to reject most of the amend-ments proposed by the ruling party (PPRD). In doing so it demonstrated that the ex-ecutive could not simply trump its interests.

The technical preparations for the presidential and legislative elections scheduled on 28 November and the beginning of the electoral campaign in the East of Congo have generated suspicion that risks developing into a crisis of confidence in the whole electoral process.

Renewed oil interest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could nurture communal resentments, exacerbate deep-rooted conflict dynamics and weaken national cohesion.

The Kivus region of eastern Congo again faces escalating violence, including by a rebel force acting as a proxy of neighbouring Rwanda. To stop the repetitive cycle of rebellion and avoid large-scale killing, donors and African mediators need to move from crisis management to conflict resolution with the right set of pressures on Kigali and Kinshasa.

The fight against entrenched armed groups in eastern Congo such as the ADF-Nalu needs to switch from a military to an intelligence-based approach.

The Framework Agreement signed by the UN, African organisations and eleven countries and the deployment of an intervention brigade in North Kivu are positive steps, but conflicts in the Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo also require a bottom-up approach aimed at improving intercommunal relations and restoring peace at the local level.

A new consensus and strategy are urgently needed to tackle the numerous, brutal armed groups in eastern Congo and to save the February 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSCF) in the Great Lakes region.

With the 2016 presidential elections approaching, tension in the Democratic Republic of Congo is increasing. President Kabila is nearing the end of his second term and political manoeuvring within the government to create conditions for a third term is mobilising popular opposition, testing the country’s fragile democratisation and stability. International pressure is now vital to find a peaceful way forward.

Chinese solar company Hanergy Thin Film Power Group has won a deal to build the first solar PV plants in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chinese solar company Hanergy Thin Film Power Group has won a deal to build the first solar PV plants in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, yesterday afternoon, December 2, received the Honorable Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo, who is making an official visit to Cuba. During their meeting, the two leaders discussed the development of the countries 50-year relationship...

The DRC’s Ebola epidemic will be declared over on 12 April but there’s little time to celebrate as the country pivots towards tackling the coronavirus

Fresh cases of Ebola have been detected just days before the deadly epidemic in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was to be declared over

Each Trade Policy Review consists of three parts: a report by the government under review, a report written independently by the WTO Secretariat, and the concluding remarks by the chair of the Trade Policy Review Body. A highlights section provides an overview of key trade facts. 15 to 20 new review titles are published each […]

On August 15, the Africa Security Initiative, part of the Brookings Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence, will host an event focused on Congo and the broader region.

Wildlife Conservation Society is treating the purloined parrots at a specially built care facility; some 900 have been released back into the wild.

It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Lush gets luxurious fair-trade cocoa butter, while farmers earn income in a low-risk way, not threatened by violence.

An increase in maximum sentences for wildlife crimes are being delivered by the Republic of Congo – here's how one gang's arrest and conviction went down.

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI, the president of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, discussed the Covid-19 pandemic in his country, as well as a controversial treatment developed in Madagascar that the Republic of Congo plans to use. He also talked about the economic consequences of the health crisis and asked for up to "$500 million" in aid from the IMF. Finally, he ruled out the release of two jailed political opponents, Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and André Okombi Salissa, on health and humanitarian grounds.

We bring you a report from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where there is growing concern about the safety of prisoners due to the coronavirus outbreak. More than 100 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Kinshasa's Ndolo military prison. The UN estimates that the country's main prisons are, on average, at 432% capacity. We speak to the Central Africa Director for Human Rights Watch for his take on the situation. 

More than 200,000 people, mostly women and children, have fled surging violence in Ituri since March in the Democratic Republic of Congo's volatile east, the UN said Friday.

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, about 30 different quotes attributed to public figures including French infectious disease expert Didier Raoult, French president Emmanuel Macron and Madagascar president Andry Rajoelina have been making the rounds on Congolese Facebook pages. But it turns out all of them were made up. The FRANCE 24 Observers team tracked down the source of these widely circulated fake quotes and discovered a 20-year-old keen to generate “a buzz”.

In a mid-April report, the NGO Human Rights Watch cited UN statistics that the main prisons in the Democratic Republic of Congo are at 432 percent capacity, with Makala Prison in the country’s capital of Kinshasa at 461 percent. While media access to prisons in Kinshasa is denied, FRANCE 24 obtained amateur footage from Makala inmates and spoke with an NGO and a Congolese official about the potential for a major Covid-19 health crisis.

Following the first meeting of the Inclusive Framework on BEPS in Kyoto, Japan, on 30 June-1 July and the regional meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean held in Montevideo, Uruguay, on 21-23 September, more countries and jurisdictions are joining the framework. On 14 October, the Inclusive Framework on BEPS welcomed Republic of Congo as its 87th member.

Focused mainly on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this report takes stock of 5 years of implementation of national and international programmes and initiatives designed to operationalise the recommendations of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance on Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa.

“I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic deaths of Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, members of the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). On behalf of my Organisation, I wish to convey our condolences to their families and colleagues from the UN and beyond, who had the pleasure of working with them."

Focused mainly on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this report takes stock of 5 years of implementation of national and international programmes and initiatives designed to operationalise the recommendations of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance on Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas in the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa.

“I am deeply saddened to learn about the tragic deaths of Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, members of the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). On behalf of my Organisation, I wish to convey our condolences to their families and colleagues from the UN and beyond, who had the pleasure of working with them."

15 September 2017 - A complaint submitted in 2015 by former workers of Heineken’s subsidiary Bralima in the Democratic Republic of Congo was successfully resolved recently. This article by Roel Nieuwenkamp explains the circumstances and why this agreement is being hailed as historic.

Loans To Private Sector in Republic Of The Congo increased to 1023.60 XOF Billion in July from 1019.50 XOF Billion in June of 2014. Loans To Private Sector in Republic Of The Congo averaged 363.06 XOF Billion from 2005 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 1023.60 XOF Billion in July of 2014 and a record low of 77.20 XOF Billion in November of 2005. Loans To Private Sector in Republic Of The Congo is reported by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). This page provides - Republic Of The Congo Loans To Private Sector - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Temperature in Republic of the Congo decreased to 24.92 celsius in December from 25.19 celsius in November of 2015. Temperature in Republic of the Congo averaged 24.65 celsius from 1901 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 26.98 celsius in March of 1941 and a record low of 22.29 celsius in July of 1976. This page includes a chart with historical data for Republic of the Congo Average Temperature.

Precipitation in Republic of the Congo decreased to 138.69 mm in December from 227.50 mm in November of 2015. Precipitation in Republic of the Congo averaged 134.21 mm from 1901 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 285.84 mm in March of 1933 and a record low of 12.84 mm in July of 1958. This page includes a chart with historical data for Republic of the Congo Average Precipitation.

Republic of the Congo recorded a Current Account deficit of 531 CFA Franc Billion in 2014. Current Account in Republic of the Congo averaged -318.29 CFA Franc Billion from 1998 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 584.91 CFA Franc Billion in 2006 and a record low of -2162 CFA Franc Billion in 2013. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Republic of the Congo Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Military Expenditure in Republic Of The Congo decreased to 273 USD Million in 2018 from 372 USD Million in 2017. Military Expenditure in Republic Of The Congo averaged 170.71 USD Million from 1970 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 635 USD Million in 2014 and a record low of 43 USD Million in 1972.

The Social Security Rate For Employees in Republic of the Congo stands at 4 percent. Social Security Rate For Employees in Republic of the Congo averaged 3.90 percent from 2004 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 4 percent in 2005 and a record low of 2.40 percent in 2004. In Republic Of The Congo, the Social Security Rate is a tax related with labor income charged to both companies and employees. Revenues from the Social Security Rate are an important source of income for the government of Republic Of The Congo because they help to pay for many social programs including welfare, health care and many other benefits. This page provides - Republic Of The Congo Social Security Rate For Employees- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Republic of the Congo is ranked 180 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business, according to the latest World Bank annual ratings. The rank of Republic of the Congo remained unchanged at 180 in 2019 from 180 in 2018. Ease of Doing Business in Republic of the Congo averaged 179.67 from 2008 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 186 in 2012 and a record low of 174 in 2014. The Ease of doing business index ranks countries against each other based on how the regulatory environment is conducive to business operationstronger protections of property rights. Economies with a high rank (1 to 20) have simpler and more friendly regulations for businesses. This page includes a chart with historical data for Ease of Doing Business in Republic of the Congo.

Terrorism Index in Republic of the Congo decreased to 2.69 in 2018 from 3.37 in 2017. Terrorism Index in Republic of the Congo averaged 1.60 from 2002 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 4.04 in 2016 and a record low of 0 in 2008. The Global Terrorism Index measures the direct and indirect impact of terrorism, including its effects on lives lost, injuries, property damage and the psychological aftereffects. It is a composite score that ranks countries according to the impact of terrorism from 0 (no impact) to 10 (highest impact).

The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Republic of the Congo was last recorded at 2651.70 US dollars in 2018. The GDP per Capita in Republic of the Congo is equivalent to 21 percent of the world's average. GDP per capita in Republic of the Congo averaged 2388.36 USD from 1960 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 3409.70 USD in 1984 and a record low of 1456.60 USD in 1960. The GDP per capita is obtained by dividing the country’s gross domestic product, adjusted by inflation, by the total population. This page provides the latest reported value for - Republic of the Congo GDP per capita - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Republic of the Congo scored 18 points out of 100 on the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. Corruption Index in Republic of the Congo averaged 21.41 Points from 2003 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 26 Points in 2012 and a record low of 18 Points in 2019. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory’s score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). This page provides the latest reported value for - Republic of the Congo Corruption Index - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Republic of the Congo is the 168 least corrupt nation out of 175 countries, according to the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. Corruption Rank in Republic of the Congo averaged 148.59 from 2003 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 168 in 2019 and a record low of 113 in 2003. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory's rank indicates its position relative to the other countries and territories in the index. This page provides the latest reported value for - Republic of the Congo Corruption Rank - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

The Corporate Tax Rate in Republic of the Congo stands at 30 percent. Corporate Tax Rate in Republic of the Congo averaged 34.35 percent from 2004 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 38 percent in 2005 and a record low of 30 percent in 2015. In Republic Of The Congo, the Corporate Income tax rate is a tax collected from companies. Its amount is based on the net income companies obtain while exercising their business activity, normally during one business year. The benchmark we use refers to the highest rate for Corporate Income. Revenues from the Corporate Tax Rate are an important source of income for the government of Republic Of The Congo. This page provides - Republic Of The Congo Corporate Tax Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Exports in Republic of the Congo increased to 10034000000 Thousand USD in 2018 from 6078000000 Thousand USD in 2017. Exports in Republic of the Congo averaged 2416661016.95 Thousand USD from 1960 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 11851000000 Thousand USD in 2011 and a record low of 18000000 Thousand USD in 1960. Republic of Congo main exports are oil (89 percent of total exports) followed by diamonds (4 percent) and timber (3 percent). Republic of Congo’s main export partners are China (26 percent of total exports) and United States (15 percent). Others include: France (11 percent), Angola (10 percent), Taiwan, India and Gabon. This page provides - Republic of the Congo Exports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Republic of the Congo recorded a trade surplus of 6564 USD Billion in 2018. Balance of Trade in Republic of the Congo averaged 1114.08 USD Billion from 1960 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 6844 USD Billion in 2011 and a record low of -1109 USD Billion in 2015. Republic of Congo has one of the largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, the country runs consistent trade surpluses. Republic of Congo also exports diamonds and timber. Main imports are: foodstuffs, machinery and clothing. Main trading partners are United States, Angola and France. This page provides - Republic of the Congo Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.