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This case study describes the operational challenges faced by ETS ALBARTOS, a commodity trading company established in 1992 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The company reports significant barriers to business growth, including systemic corruption, inefficient administrative procedures for permits and imports, poor infrastructure, and difficulties in accessing bank loans.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes two distinct security and political crises: the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) involving the M23 rebel group and Rwandan influence, and the economic instability and civil unrest in Sudan under President Omar al-Bashir.

This research paper explores the complexities of resource governance in Africa, examining how the extraction of minerals and oil often triggers conflict driven by greed and grievance. The author argues for a transition from violent political struggle to a discourse of cooperation and the creation of transparent institutional structures to ensure that resource wealth benefits local communities and national development rather than fueling instability.

Notes from a 2009 seminar featuring Anneke Van Woudenberg regarding the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the failure of military operations against rebel groups, and recommendations for the protection of civilians in conflict zones.

This report summarizes a public seminar held on July 14, 2009, in Addis Ababa, which examined the security and political situation in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically North and South Kivu. The discussion focused on the role of armed groups, the effectiveness of military operations, the normalization of relations between the DRC and Rwanda, and the challenges facing the Congolese army and MONUC.

This research report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines forestry governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), focusing on the transition from hierarchical to network governance. It analyzes national policy, the impact of forest title conversions, and provides a detailed case study of tripartite governance structures in Bikoro Territory, Equateur Province, implemented by the IUCN.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as of January 2009. It identifies key drivers of instability in North Kivu and outlines three potential scenarios for the region: the maintenance of the status quo, a return to war, or the establishment of peace through negotiations.

This situation report evaluates the failure of security sector reform (SSR) and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically focusing on the impact on the Kivu Provinces. It argues that the lack of progress in these areas, driven by a lack of political will from the Congolese government and poor international coordination, has contributed to the fragility of the peace process and the resumption of fighting in eastern DRC in October 2008.

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 report provides three country case studies on the private security sector in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Africa. It examines the growth, regulatory frameworks, and impact of private security companies (PSCs) and private military companies (PMCs) in these nations, highlighting a general trend of ineffective regulation across the continent and the emergence of security as a commodity available primarily to the wealthy.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the aftermath of the 2006 elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, detailing the victory of Joseph Kabila, the resulting regional political divides, post-election violence in Kinshasa, and ongoing instability in North Kivu caused by dissident General Nkunda.

This research paper examines the challenges of implementing a transitional justice framework in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following a war that caused over three million deaths. The author analyzes the limitations of domestic prosecutions, the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the failures of the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CVR) in the context of a fragile democratic transition.

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 briefing discusses the volatile political atmosphere in the Democratic Republic of Congo following its first free elections in over four decades, focusing on the lead held by incumbent President Joseph Kabila over Jean-Pierre Bemba and the potential for renewed conflict.

This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the progress and obstacles of security sector reform (SSR) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during its transitional government period (2003-2005). It focuses on the integration of the national army (FARDC), the restructuring of the national police (PNC), and the implementation of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs.

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 report provides an update on the transitional period in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), focusing on the Kivu provinces as of May 2004. It details the failure of the Transitional Government (TG) to unify military and administrative structures, the persistence of violence and poverty, and the ongoing tensions surrounding the nationality of the Banyarwanda and the influence of Rwanda.

This strategic framework, developed by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP), provides a phased approach for African nations to integrate water security and climate resilience into their national development planning and investment decision-making processes.

A letter from the CITES Secretary General to Greenpeace International clarifying the status of the Review of Significant Trade in Afrormosia (Pericopsis elata) from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the prospects of a national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) aimed at achieving political consensus and governance reform. It highlights critical challenges facing the dialogue, including an ambitious timeframe, the exclusion of opposition parties, and a lack of implementation mechanisms. The document also discusses the interconnectedness of these political talks with the security crisis in the eastern DRC, specifically the conflict between the government and the M23 rebellion and the role of the UN Intervention Brigade.