Country Spotlight: The Democratic Republic of Congo

According to the UN Human Development Index (HDI), the Democratic Republic of Congo comes in last out of all African countries. At first, this is not a surprising statistic about a country that's been utterly ravaged by two civil wars, the last of which ranks as the most devastating war since World War II. But considering a peace deal was brokered there in 2006, it seems the country would be on its way to better shape instead of claiming the death of over 3 million people in the past two years. Comparatively, the situation in the DRC dwarfs the crisis in Sudan, but it's harder to find the root of the conflict in the Congo and consequently much more difficult to garner international opposition against it.

The reasons for the DRC's deterioration are, at the very least, two-fold. First, there has been no real economic rebound in a country with almost bottomless natural resources because no economic infrastructure has been built since the wars. As a result, millions have died from starvation and other highly treatable basic illnesses. Secondly, the stand-off between the Congolese government and armies fueled by Laurent Nkunda continue to threaten stability in the region. And let's face it, an economy at zero means empty stomachs, jobless days and a lot of free time on your hands which only propels violence and the invented style of Marshal Law currently being used by armies and factions there that continue to rule, rape, pillage, and generally cut off any chance of restoration for the country. Perhaps President Kabila is just too young and inexperienced (he's currently only 35) to lead his country out of the dregs of bloodstained wartime, or perhaps the legacy of his father is still overshadowing any progress he can make. Regardless, any future that the DRC hopes to have, (democratic future, that is) will only stem out of true, sustainable economic development.