Democratic Republic of the Congo
Although peace agreements in 2002 brought the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) tenuous stability and some institutional progress, armed actors continue to create insecurity in the eastern part of the country, in part, taking advantage of the region’s minerals, timber, and wildlife. The U.S. Institute of Peace is leading an initiative to strengthen prosecutions that address crimes related to these natural resources. The Institute provides research, training, and technical assistance to Congolese legal professionals, and convenes local civil society and foreign experts to develop prosecutorial strategies under Congolese and international law. Learn more in USIP’s fact sheet on Prosecuting Economic and Environmental Crimes in the DRC.
Featured Publications
Jonas Claes on Election Risk in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ukraine
Jonas Claes provides risk analysis for elections taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo in December and in Ukraine in March, 2019. A combination of complicating factors ranging from ongoing conflicts, outside meddling, logistical hurdles and voter apathy top Claes’ concerns that election violence could be stoked in both elections.
The U.S. Can’t Give Up on Africa’s Crises
After a trip to assess humanitarian crises in some of the world’s most troubled nations, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said he concluded that a matrix of conflict, corruption and “climate chaos” is driving one of the biggest periods of displacement in modern history.
U.S. Signals Africa Policy Shifts
The U.S. plans to continue diplomatic and military support for African nations but expects its counterparts to step up significantly in areas ranging from fighting corruption to countering terrorism and stopping arms purchases from North Korea, U.S. officials said during a symposium at the U.S. Institute of Peace.