Profile : Democratic Republic of Congo
Description
The resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly called Zaire) has a history marked by ethnic strife and civil war.
In May 1997, after more than 30 years in power the government of President Mobuto was overturned by a rebellion led by Laurent Kabila. His regime was challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998 and five years of conflict followed involving troops from Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
In this period of civil war, on January 16, 2001 President Kabila was assassinated and his son Joseph Kabila was named head of state.
Some sense of stability was established with the signing of a peace agreement in 2003 and the formation of a transitional government. Joseph Kabila remains as President and is joined by four vice presidents from the former government, former rebel camps, and the political opposition.
The five-year war claimed an estimated three million lives, either as a direct result of fighting or because of disease and malnutrition. While DR Congo now has a measure of peace, militia violence still flares in the eastern regions.
Prayer Points
- for peace, stability, economic recovery and rebuilding of infrastructure after the war.
- that the planned democratic elecetions will proceed and that a stable government will result.