Challenges and Opportunities in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Despite its proximity to countries plagued by conflict, the Democratic Republic of Congo benefits from its strategic location for trade routes and access to the Atlantic Ocean and Congo River. The nation is rich in valuable minerals, making it one of the most resource-rich countries.

Despite its status as one of the poorest countries globally, the Democratic Republic of Congo was pulled into the Second Congo War in 1998, also known as "The African World War." This conflict involved nine neighboring African nations including Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and others with the aim of exploiting DRC's rich minerals and natural resources.

Beginning as a civil war within DRC, it rapidly evolved into a regional conflict that ultimately transformed into a large-scale war with multiple countries participating.

The war officially ended in 2003, but battles and bitterness continue to cause mass conflict between African nations today. This ongoing conflict is considered the worst since World War II, resulting in the deaths of around five and a half million people.

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Approximately 90% of these victims did not die in battle but succumbed to diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, and malnutrition. These fatalities were largely due to the harsh conditions faced by displaced populations living in unsanitary, overcrowded areas with limited access to necessities like food, water, medicine, and shelter.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is rich in mineral resources, with an estimated value of $24 trillion. This includes 30% of the world's diamond reserves and 70% of the world's coltan, along with substantial amounts of gold, copper, and cobalt.

Despite this abundance, the country heavily depends on artisanal and small-scale mining for extraction, creating opportunities for illegal groups to exploit these mines for financial gain.

As a result of these events, the government made the decision to stop mining activities in the eastern region of the country. During the conflict, many military commanders were involved in illegal trade with other countries for the minerals and materials from that area, which is referred to as "mass scale looting". After a decline in mass scale looting, soldiers were encouraged to engage in smaller scale looting, leading to what became known as the "active and extraction phase". The extensive looting resulted in significant inflation and substantial losses for the Congolese government due to exporting resources to Uganda and Rwanda.

Migration to The Democratic Republic of Congo is driven by a desire to flee the violence in the Great Lakes region. Despite a decrease in numbers, immigrants continue to flock to the country, drawn by lucrative mining opportunities that are exploited by Rwandan soldiers. These soldiers smuggle diamonds and coltan out of Congo, repackage them, and sell them as their own, earning approximately 20 million dollars per month from this illegal trade.

Immigrants are opting to move to European countries instead of other African nations. The Democratic Republic of Congo struggles with issues like poverty, high population density, and poor living conditions. Despite the Congolese national police force's existence, crime rates continue to be high in the country. Rape and sexual slavery are prevalent crimes in this area, leading to it being known as "the rape capital of the world". The number of rape victims has risen due to recent conflicts.

Despite the fact that rape is illegal in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is rarely enforced, making it a major tactic in the Second Congo war and contributing to a widespread crisis of sexual violence. Prostitution and human trafficking can result in a twenty-year prison sentence, but there are frequent gaps in investigations, suggesting inconsistent enforcement. The absence of laws against domestic violence further highlights the lack of law enforcement due to the unstable and insecure government resulting from the ongoing conflict.

Despite the uncertain government, the country is slowly recovering. The establishment of a government system through the Lusaka Peace Accords in 1999 ultimately resulted in the election of a president in 2006. Although there are indications of economic progress, widespread poverty and economic difficulties persist due to previous conflicts and mining disputes. Ongoing violence and political instability have restricted access to markets and vital public services, making it challenging for farmers to sell their crops and compelling civilians to depend on their own resources.

Limited availability of public services in this nation has led to a scarcity of hospitals and medical centers. The dense population facilitates the spread of diseases within communities, creating numerous major health challenges such as HIV, AIDS, malaria, polio outbreaks, cholera, typhoid, yellow fever, Ebola virus, hemorrhagic fever, and tuberculosis. Poor living conditions like unclean environments and insect infestations contribute to the prevalence of these diseases. Bug bites serve as a common mode of disease transmission with illnesses like HIV and AIDS easily spreading through various means.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, diseases are spread through different channels like soldier and refugee movements, limited HIV testing sites, untreated sexual diseases, human trafficking, sexual abuse, prostitution, and contaminated blood transfusions. Ongoing wars and conflicts in the region have hindered the establishment of effective organizations for disease prevention. The impoverished population also faces challenges in accessing medical treatments that require upfront cash payments. Despite these barriers, the country boasts abundant mineral resources and a fertile agricultural landscape.

The temperature typically falls within the range of 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit in this region, characterized by a combination of rainforest and savanna areas. Farming primarily takes place in the open savanna regions, with the cultivation of various cash crops such as peanuts, beans, bananas, plantains, rice, yams, and sugarcane. The cultivation of Cottee is also significant as it is among the top exported natural resources. The majority of farming operations are managed by the Feronia Arable Farming division while smaller farmers near the rainforest often resort to the slash and burn technique which has detrimental effects on the environment and the rainforest ecosystem.

It takes about fifteen years for a burned field in slash and burn agriculture to recover, leading farmers to clear more rainforest for survival. The Democratic Republic of Congo requires improvements in governance, resolution of conflicts with neighboring nations, and stricter law enforcement to operate effectively. Despite its abundant mineral reserves and the high demand for natural resources, the DRC has the potential to become one of Africa's wealthiest countries.

In order for this nation to thrive, significant changes are necessary.