Other authorities are public laws (statutes) passed by The Congress. Millions of Congolese have perished, and over a million more have been . )$708.2 million (31 December 2016 est. Mutombo is well known for humanitarian projects in his home country. Violence against women seems to be perceived by large sectors of society to be normal. In 2015, elections were scheduled for late 2016 and a tenuous peace held in the Congo.[82]. to be again backed by Rwanda as a way to tackle the Hutu group, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Kabila later requested that foreign military forces return to their own countries. [232] Some attempts to combat species loss in countries such as the DRC are actions such as the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), specifically SDG 15 Life on Land, the primary goals of which is to increase reforestation and biodiversity and reduce species loss, desertification, and illegal poaching. With a surface area equivalent to that of Western Europe, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). [citation needed]. [161] The First and Second Congo Wars began in 1996. This is the only comprehensive guide to both Congos in English. [17], The Democratic Republic of the Congo is extremely rich in natural resources but has suffered from political instability, a lack of infrastructure, corruption, and centuries of both commercial and colonial extraction and exploitation with little widespread development. The human rights situation across the Democratic Republic of Congo remains dire, with more than 5.2 million people internally displaced and nearly a quarter of the . U.S. & The Democratic Republic of the Congo. HAMMER (since 22 December 2018)embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombemailing address: 2220 Kinshasa Place, Washington DC 20521-2220telephone: [243] 081 556-0151FAX: [243] 81 556-0175email address and website: ACSKinshasa@state.govhttps://cd.usembassy.gov/, sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country, leopard; national colors: sky blue, red, yellow, name: "Debout Congolaise" (Arise Congolese)lyrics/music: Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londinote: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire; but readopted in 1997. The armed groups are after gold, diamonds, oil, and cobalt to line the pockets of rich men both in the region and internationally. The country lies between latitudes 6N and 14S, and longitudes 12E and 32E. It also provided for the creation of a Conseil Superieur de la Defense (Superior Defence Council) which would declare states of siege or war and give advice on security sector reform, disarmament/demobilisation, and national defence policy. The First and Second Congo Wars, which sparked the violence, involved multiple foreign armies, ad hoc militia groups, and investors from Rwanda . 1892-94 - Eastern Congo wrested from the control of East African Arab and . The price of copper the DRCs primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 its highest level since the early 2000s. [222] The Democratic Republic of the Congo Sanctions program represents the implementation of multiple legal authorities. [244] the study reveals the only way to solve this is to find other food sources to feed people in the Congo Basin as bush meat is their only means of eating. Zaire established semi-clientelist relationships with several smaller African states, especially Burundi, Chad, and Togo.[55]. U.S. foreign policy in the D.R.C. All air carriers certified by the DRC have been banned from European Union airports by the European Commission, due to inadequate safety standards.[175]. [24], The word Zaire is from a Portuguese adaptation of a Kikongo word nzadi ("river"), a truncation of nzadi o nzere ("river swallowing rivers"). Ministre du Plan et Suivi de la Mise en uvre de la Rvolution de la Modernit (MPSMRM), Ministre de la Sant Publique (MSP) et ICF International (2014). Intervention im Kongo: eine kritische Analyse der Befriedungspolitik von UN und EU. [39] Opening up the Congo and its natural and mineral riches to the Belgian economy remained the main motive for colonial expansion however, other priorities, such as healthcare and basic education, slowly gained in importance. The new constitution also saw the disappearance of the Supreme Court, which was divided into three new institutions. Angolan, Zimbabwean, and Namibian militaries entered the hostilities on the side of the government. Cobalt is also used in magnetic alloys and in cutting and wear-resistant materials such as cemented carbides. ), China 29%, South Africa 15%, Zambia 12%, Rwanda 5%, Belgium 5%, India 5% (2019), packaged medicines, refined petroleum, sulfuric acid, stone processing machines, delivery trucks (2019), $457.5 million (31 December 2017 est. By the early 1990s, Mobutu's government began to weaken. Several international airlines service Kinshasa's international airport and a few also offer international flights to Lubumbashi International Airport. Drawing on both primary and secondary data, the book contributes to the literature on extension by applying a common and comprehensive framework the best-fit approach to assessments of extension systems, which allows for President Laurent-Dsir Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards on 16 January 2001 and was succeeded eight days later by his son Joseph,[15] under whom human rights in the country remained poor and included frequent abuses such as forced disappearances, torture, arbitrary imprisonment and restrictions on civil liberties according to NGOs. Some of these authorities are in the form of an executive order issued by the President. ), Overall score: 36.2 (2020)Starting a Business score: 91.6 (2020)Trading score: 3.5 (2020)Enforcement score: 33.3 (2020), cassava, plantains, sugar cane, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, roots/tubers nes, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair, lowest 10%: 2.3%highest 10%: 34.7% (2006), revenues: 4.634 billion (2017 est. [134], The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2006 expressed concern that in the post-war transition period, the promotion of women's human rights and gender equality is not seen as a priority. This area is surrounded by plateaus merging into savannas in the south and southwest, by mountainous terraces in the west, and dense grasslands extending beyond the Congo River in the north. Dikembe Mutombo is one of the best African basketball players to ever play the game. However, conversely conflict reduced deforestation for large scale mining due to security instability. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and over 800 cross-referenced dictionary entries on civil wars, mutinies, notable people, places, events, and cultural practices. The chemical industry consumes significant quantities of cobalt in a variety of applications including catalysts for petroleum and chemical processing; drying agents for paints and inks; ground coats for porcelain enamels; decolorant for ceramics and glass; and pigments for ceramics, paints, and plastics. The Democratic Republic of the Congo's economic freedom score is 49.0, making its economy the 165th freest in the 2021 Index. This trend was reversed after independence, when French became the sole language of education at all levels. [178] The DRC is a member of three electrical power pools. [44][45] Most of the 100,000 Europeans who had remained behind after independence fled the country,[46] opening the way for Congolese to replace the European military and administrative elite. [235] Poor governance and low economic conditions have reduced the effectiveness of these protections, especially during war times. New destination countries include South Africa and various points en route to Europe. A CBS News investigation has found child labor being used in the dangerous mining of cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The executive branch was vested in a 60-member cabinet, headed by a President and four vice presidents. 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