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The Lobito Corridor is a strategic transport route designed to move critical raw materials (CRMs) from the Copperbelt of the DRC and Zambia to the Atlantic coast of Angola for export to the US and EU. While it promises economic transformation and local industrialization, the project faces significant geopolitical competition from China, sustainability risks related to human rights and artisanal mining, and financial uncertainty stemming from the US political landscape under the Trump presidency.

This research paper analyzes the European Union's strategic partnerships with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia to diversify critical raw material (CRM) supply chains and reduce dependence on China. It examines the geopolitical tensions between Western security agendas and the industrialization goals of the producing nations, while highlighting significant governance risks and the lack of comprehensive national CRM policies in the DRC and Zambia.

This case study examines the operational challenges faced by ALASKA, a company based in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which specializes in importing goods from South Africa and Mauritius. The document details systemic barriers to business growth, including a dysfunctional banking sector, an opaque and burdensome tax system, severe infrastructure deficits, and pervasive corruption within government agencies.

This policy briefing examines the presence and operations of Indian mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically focusing on the copper, cobalt, tin, and tantalum sectors. It highlights the growth of small and medium-sized Indian firms, their reliance on self-funding rather than state or Western capital, and the environmental and political risks they face in the Katanga province.

This report examines the history and state of corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on the transition period between 2003 and 2006. It traces a legacy of predation from King Leopold II's forced labour regime and Mobutu's state capture to the resource looting by foreign occupying forces and the Kabila administration. The author argues that without learning from this history and strengthening anti-corruption institutions and legal frameworks to meet international standards, the DRC risks returning to a cycle of bad governance and conflict despite the democratic progress made during the 2006 elections.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the aftermath of the Democratic Republic of Congo's first democratic elections in 40 years, held on 30 July 2006. It evaluates the security situation across various provinces, the logistical challenges of the vote-counting process, and potential political scenarios and alliances should a second round of presidential voting be required.

This situation report analyzes the stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's transition government one year after its inauguration. It details a deepening crisis characterized by military rebellion in the east led by General Laurent Nkunda, internal political infighting among the three main belligerent components (PPRD, RCD-G, and MLC), and significant delays in critical reforms such as the reintegration of the national army.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies provides an update on the integration of the army and the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) process in the Democratic Republic of Congo as of September 2005. It details the FARDC's strategic plan to establish a new armed force, the roles of various national and international coordinating bodies, and the significant logistical and financial challenges—including 'ghost soldiers' and unpaid salaries—that threaten the stability of the transition and the upcoming 2006 elections.

This report analyzes the limitations of international interventions in the security sector of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), specifically focusing on Security Sector Reform (SSR) and the International Security and Stabilization Support Strategy (ISSSS). The authors argue that these efforts failed to produce fundamental change because they adopted a technical approach that ignored the neo-patrimonial political nature of the Congolese state and the complex relationship between the military and local communities.

This report details an experts workshop organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Labor Optimus to discuss defence integration within the peace process of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The document analyzes the historical failures of Congolese military governance, the prioritization of defence integration over demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR), and the role of regional cooperation through the South African Development Community (SADC) in stabilizing the security sector.

This research paper by Gregory Mthembu-Salter for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the historical, political, and economic relationships between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), China, and India. It analyzes how these two Asian powers engage with the DRC's mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors, highlighting the contrast between China's state-led, resource-for-infrastructure strategy and India's more fragmented, private-sector-driven approach.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the political economy of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arguing that regional peace agreements are shaped by the shifting economic power between the eastern Kivus and the southern Katanga province.