Democratic Republic of Congo

Having won the recent presidential election, Joseph Kabila will set about forming his first government, which will necessarily include the parties that helped him to win (EIU 2006bk, 1). The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has never participated in UN peacekeeping operations. The main reason why the DRC has not contributed troops resides on the complexity of its internal political environment creating a war and destroying DRC’s infrastructure. The DRC has been at the center of what could be termed Africa's world war (BBC 2006o, par. 1).

The war claimed an estimated three million lives, either as a direct result of fighting or because of disease and malnutrition. Nowadays, DRC is one of the most dangerous zones in the world. The five-year conflict pitted government forces, supported by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, against rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda. Despite a peace deal and the formation of a transitional government in 2003, the threat of civil war remains. (Ibid.)

As a result of the war, the UN’s mission in the DRC—MONUC—was set up in 1999 (EIU 2006n, 8). MONUC is mandated to protect civilians who are under immediate threat of physical violence, to safeguard members of the transitional government, to help with the disarmament and demobilization of former combatants, and to assist with the reform of the armed forces and with the electoral process (Ibid.).

Initial variables of the data collection process:

UN/UN peacekeeping policy reform
No record.

Perception of peacekeeping
UN peacekeeping forces are welcomed by some members of the DRC society, but not welcomed by others.

Domestic political environment
The DRC is emerging from a five-year conflict, which involved dozens of rebel groups as well as troops from neighboring countries (EIU 2006n, 4). The conflict pitted government forces, supported by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, against rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda (BBC 2006o, par. 1).

A peace agreement signed in 2002 began a transition period that will come to an end following elections in 2006. A clear winner failed to emerge from the presidential election held on July 30 and a second round will be held on October 29. The run-off will be between Joseph Kabila, who has been president of the DRC since 2001, and Jean-Pierre Bemba, leader of the Mouvement de libération du Congo (MLC), a former rebel movement turned political party. (EIU 2006n, 4)

The war claimed an estimated three million lives, either as a direct result of fighting or because of disease and malnutrition (BBC 2006o, par. 2). It has been called possibly the worst emergency to unfold in Africa in recent decades (Ibid.). In the legislative election also held on July 30, Kabila's party, Parti du peuple pour la reconstruction et la démocratie (PPRD), won 22% of the seats in the new post-transitional National Assembly, the MLC won 13% and only three other parties won more than 5% (EIU 2006n, 4).

Domestic economic environment
The war had an economic as well as a political side (BBC 2006o, par. 4). Fighting was fuelled by the country's vast mineral wealth, with all sides taking advantage of the anarchy to plunder natural resources (Ibid.). In June 2002 the government produced an interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), based on three fundamental .pillars: the promotion of peace and good governance; stabilization and growth aimed at reducing poverty; and support for grassroots initiatives (EIU 2006n, 25).

The DRC was one of the best economies, and after the war, it turned into one of
the worst. At independence, the DRC was the second most industrialized country in Africa, after South Africa, with a thriving mining sector, substantial commercial agriculture, and reasonably productive subsistence agriculture. The predatory economic policies of Mobutu, however, had a disastrous impact on every sector of the economy. GDP per head was US$380 at independence and only US$119 in 1990. From the late 1990s economic collapse accelerated as the country descended into war and economic chaos, and GDP per head is estimated to have been just US$123 in 2005. (Ibid., 26)

Military affairs
After the inauguration of the transitional government, the Forces Armées Congolaises (FAC) were renamed Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), but the vital task of restructuring of the army to incorporate former rebel fighters or to demobilize and reintegrate into society those that wish to has made slow progress (EIU 2006n, 17).

Technically at least, all Congolese troops that fought during the war, as well as the Mai Mai, are part of, and paid by, the FARDC. However, only around one-third of the estimated 150,000 troops in the army have been properly trained and many are still loyal to commanders that led them during the civil war. This has caused serious problems already, and the failure to integrate all troops into a new, restructured and unified army will remain a threat to security. (Ibid.)

Foreign policy
The DRC emerged from years of international isolation after the assassination of Laurent Kabila in 2001, and major donors are now actively engaged with the DRC including the IMF, the World Bank, the EU, the US, the UK and France (Ibid.).

Since the inauguration of the transitional government a large number of international organizations have opened offices in Kinshasa and are working on a variety of development programs. Both the US and the UK, which have been staunch supporters of Rwanda over the years, are now pressuring it to keep out of Congolese affairs. This is a welcome development and may lead to more open dialogue between the countries in the Great Lakes region. Relations between the DRC and South Africa have strengthened since South Africa hosted the inter-Congolese dialogue, and there is strong South African business interest in the DRC. Angola, South Africa and the former colonial power, Belgium, are assisting with the restructuring and training of the country’s security forces. (Ibid.)

Additional variables found after the preliminary analysis:

Climate changes
No record.

Independent negotiations taken by DPKO to seek troops
No record.

Independent negotiations taken by contributor countries to engage non-contributor countries
No record.

Meetings organized by other international organizations to engage in dialogue about peacekeeping
No record.