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Democratic Republic of the Congo: so great potential yet so poor

Masterhawk

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Africa is a continent of potential. It contains many resources such as oil, minerals, and even uranium! However, rapid decolonization has left many africans unprepared to govern themselves. In short, africa is very poor and partly unstable. The democratic republic of the congo is the epitomy of africa. It has many minerals including gold, silver, and diamonds in the kivu provinces and cobalt in the katanga province. Cobalt is a key component in iphones and batteries and congo contains 80% of the world's cobalt reserves. Most of the congo's cobalt goes to china. With all of these minerals, it would seem that congo would be a regional power of africa right? Hahahahaha no, a few years after congo became independent from belguim, it became a dictatorship and the country was renamed zaire. In the early 90s, the rwandan genocide occurred and some of the people fleeing the genocide fled to the kivu province in eastern congo. The rwandan government got angry that zaire wasn't going after the refugees and so led an offensive which saw the overthrowal of the zaire regime. The country was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A second congo war happened in the late 90s for complex reasons and didn't end until 2004 but the rebels were backed by rwanda, uganda, and burundi while this time, angola, nambia, and zimbabwe came to its rescue along with some support from others

Map of 2nd congo war:
Second_Congo_War_Africa_map_en.jpg

In the aftermath of the 2nd congo war a man named Joseph Kabila became the president of the war torn country. He promised to rebuild the country though he largely abused his power. In the north and south kivu provinces, a conflict developed as a result of misrepresentation of ethnic groups there. In 2011, it escalated to an outright rebellion known as the March 23 movement which was to overthrow the government which would cause a 3rd congo war. This movement was accused of numerous atrocities such as drafting children, raping women, and killing men. Fortunately with collaboration with the UN, the M23 movement surrendered in 2013 but tensions in the kivu provinces continued. There are elections in 2016 scheduled to take place in congo. Joseph kabila decided to conduct a national survey which would take years allowing him to stay in power for awhile after the scheduled 2016 elections. This resulted in major protests in kinshasa demanding that joseph kabila resign. These protests are no joke as at least 27 died (nobody died in the ferguson riots or the london anarchist riots) and that's from the government. This country has such great potential yet it is one of the poorest countries and most unstable in the world.
political-map-of-D-R-of-Con.jpg
There is hope yet for the congo. China has been investing in africa in the last decade helping countries develop and buying resources. China may not solve the instability issue but it may help develop the country making the situation a little better.
 
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With all of these minerals, it would seem that congo would be a regional power of africa right? Hahahahaha no

Because...
CPgrYETWcAA1K8m.jpg:large


violence war genocide violence killing war violence

Because...
CPgrYETWcAA1K8m.jpg:large
 
china china china I love 'em



Hard for us to compete when we pay the extra $$ to keep our country clean... Unlike China... Who do it as cheap as possible and just dump everything everywhere and anywhere..
 
Hard for us to compete when we pay the extra $$ to keep our country clean... Unlike China... Who do it as cheap as possible and just dump everything everywhere and anywhere..

hey i love china china china china china
 
Africa is a continent of potential. It contains many resources such as oil, minerals, and even uranium! However, rapid decolonization has left many africans unprepared to govern themselves. In short, africa is very poor and partly unstable. The democratic republic of the congo is the epitomy of africa. It has many minerals including gold, silver, and diamonds in the kivu provinces and cobalt in the katanga province. Cobalt is a key component in iphones and batteries and congo contains 80% of the world's cobalt reserves. Most of the congo's cobalt goes to china. With all of these minerals, it would seem that congo would be a regional power of africa right? Hahahahaha no, a few years after congo became independent from belguim, it became a dictatorship and the country was renamed zaire. In the early 90s, the rwandan genocide occurred and some of the people fleeing the genocide fled to the kivu province in eastern congo. The rwandan government got angry that zaire wasn't going after the refugees and so led an offensive which saw the overthrowal of the zaire regime. The country was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A second congo war happened in the late 90s for complex reasons and didn't end until 2004 but the rebels were backed by rwanda, uganda, and burundi while this time, angola, nambia, and zimbabwe came to its rescue along with some support from others

Map of 2nd congo war:
View attachment 67201040

In the aftermath of the 2nd congo war a man named Joseph Kabila became the president of the war torn country. He promised to rebuild the country though he largely abused his power. In the north and south kivu provinces, a conflict developed as a result of misrepresentation of ethnic groups there. In 2011, it escalated to an outright rebellion known as the March 23 movement which was to overthrow the government which would cause a 3rd congo war. This movement was accused of numerous atrocities such as drafting children, raping women, and killing men. Fortunately with collaboration with the UN, the M23 movement surrendered in 2013 but tensions in the kivu provinces continued. There are elections in 2016 scheduled to take place in congo. Joseph kabila decided to conduct a national survey which would take years allowing him to stay in power for awhile after the scheduled 2016 elections. This resulted in major protests in kinshasa demanding that joseph kabila resign. These protests are no joke as at least 27 died (nobody died in the ferguson riots or the london anarchist riots) and that's from the government. This country has such great potential yet it is one of the poorest countries and most unstable in the world.
View attachment 67201042
There is hope yet for the congo. China has been investing in africa in the last decade helping countries develop and buying resources. China may not solve the instability issue but it may help develop the country making the situation a little better.

You mean the Chinese will break the vicious circle of violence, corruption and tribal turmoil? Will buy the raw materials and make them rich? That sounds very Chinese of them.
 
Nothing to do with the colonial past right...? Nothing to do with the vast resources being used to help develop and build Belgium's 20th century wealth, nothing to do with failure to use any of the local mineral wealth to develop the country or the people.

Anyone who believes the pioneer fund claims about genetics and by using graphics based on their research shows their true politics.

Nothing to do with any of that except for.. "nothing to do with failure to use any of the local mineral wealth to develop the country or the people."

My true politics is tell it like it is..
 
There is hope yet for the congo. China has been investing in africa in the last decade helping countries develop and buying resources. China may not solve the instability issue but it may help develop the country making the situation a little better.

How is this in any way, a form of hope? China's money will remain in the pockets of a few men, and the people will still be living in wretched conditions. If China had any morals, they would refuse to trade with a country that suppresses it's own citizens.

But then again, it is China after all. The land of individual freedoms.
 
There is hope yet for the congo. China has been investing in africa in the last decade helping countries develop and buying resources. China may not solve the instability issue but it may help develop the country making the situation a little better.

How is this in any way, a form of hope? China's money will remain in the pockets of a few men, and the people will still be living in wretched conditions. If China had any morals, they would refuse to trade with a country that suppresses it's own citizens.

But then again, it is China after all. The land of individual freedoms.

The Chinese have been involved in a much slower long term development policy in Africa, much the same way that Germany began over 40 years ago with China. The benefits have been recognised by many researchers. Germany now has huge exports to China.

Though neglected until the late 1980’s, the contribution of infrastructural development to broader economic and social development is now widely acknowledged.53 Despite the enormous challenges the Chinese face concerning their own development, China’s focus on infrastructural development with the constructio roads, bridges, hydroelectric and irrigation schemes, schools, hospitals, health centers and an array of government building has made a clear and definite contribution to improving the lives of people across Africa.

The relationship isn't perfect but the building of infrastructure and social development across many parts of Africa has been at the cost of more traditional Western governments whose views and policies are often betrayed by the kind of thinking "Orly" above shows.

African countries have turned increasingly to China - it's up to Western businesses and governments whether they continue to view Africa as they historically have done or to compete with the Chinese. Looking at many of the posters on the whole forum and their historic view of African Americans / Africans - I don't hold that much hope that when African governments seek political alliances and partners that they will seek the US and similar governments.

Many African states, particularly resource-endowed states, are finding themselves in stronger positions vis-à-vis the latest scramble for Africa. Countries such as Angola, which therefore have greater leverage to negotiate with the PRC government, can demand that foreign companies must establish joint ventures with local firms, share research and development and procure local materials. The conditions under which foreign companies enter African markets should be re-examined in order to cultivate and harness the development of local companies and/or small and medium enterprises (SMEs), while they can still play the natural resources card.

https://www.sais-jhu.edu/sites/defa...he-Development-of-Africa's-Infrastructure.pdf
 
It is paramount that we do not see the Congo as some untapped resource that we can exploit. However, intervention may be necessary as any organized government in the congo would obviously be met with a lot of blood shed, given so many different gangs essentially. These are very hard decisions, because the truth isn't always transparent. A lot of Americans see us as interfering where we shouldn't be, and putting people in power that will serve our interests. But, when you think about it, it is the only way we know how to intervene, and it may very well be the best option for the people of the Congo. I think establishing compounds where education in basic reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught would be great. This way, you could start with the children, get them educated and more aware of the world. They could go to college abroad, and in several decades we would probably see many of these people form a government for their people that works.
 
There is hope yet for the congo. China has been investing in africa in the last decade helping countries develop and buying resources. China may not solve the instability issue but it may help develop the country making the situation a little better.

How is this in any way, a form of hope? China's money will remain in the pockets of a few men, and the people will still be living in wretched conditions. If China had any morals, they would refuse to trade with a country that suppresses it's own citizens.

But then again, it is China after all. The land of individual freedoms.

This is mostly the problem with nations "helping" other nations, they mostly do it for personal interests ( meaning money). As I said, it would be more advantageous for non-profits to establish education compounds protected from the various violent groups in the Congo. These non-profits could be subsidized by governments, but not in any way controlled by them. China is obviously just taking advantage of the instability to secure resources, tapping the well that the Congo will need t become a stable sovereign nation.
 
~ A lot of Americans see us as interfering where we shouldn't be, and putting people in power that will serve our interests ~

Ever heard of Mobutu Sese Seko? He was put in power in DRC when it was called Zaire and he was very friendly to the western interests that put him in power; he also had a pretty good attempt at draining the resources of Zaire like a vampire. He also replaced (through Belgian assassination rumoured to be backed by the US) a pro development African leader ready to develop his country for the ordinary people/

~ But, when you think about it, it is the only way we know how to intervene, and it may very well be the best option for the people of the Congo ~

A million times I would hope "no," Africa will not turn to the West again. Anyway there are many countries in Africa where the Chinese have made serious inroads with and you'll have a hard time turning that round. Many people still remember their leaders as pawns in the cold war and the paternal vision you talk about with the west "establishing compounds" probably full of pro-Western Africans ready to sign up to the ideals of the west is a thing of the past.
 
If you are rich, it's a great place to be.

How would you know that?

And why would it be a great place?
 
Nothing to do with the colonial past right...? Nothing to do with the vast resources being used to help develop and build Belgium's 20th century wealth, nothing to do with failure to use any of the local mineral wealth to develop the country or the people.

Anyone who believes the pioneer fund claims about genetics and by using graphics based on their research shows their true politics.

Do you realize that these businesses pay the governments unheard amounts of money. These people are being screwed by their politiucians not foreign business.
 
Do you realize that these businesses pay the governments unheard amounts of money. These people are being screwed by their politiucians not foreign business.

It would help if you pointed out "which businesses," "which governments" and which "people."

Your comment doesn't seem to address what I said in that particular post?
 
How would you know that?

And why would it be a great place?

Friends tell me. But you are right. Maybe they are lying.
 
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