Congo River Basin The Role of International Money
Outline • Hydrology of the basin • Resources within the basin • Geopolitical background • Role of international parties
Hydrology • Catchment area: 3.7 M km2 • Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Angola, Cameroon, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia • 2ndlargest in world • Length: 3,100 km • Discharge: 40,000 m3/s • Highest potential for hydropower development
Area and Precipitation
Congo Forest • 1.6 M km2 • 3 million people • 400 species of mammals • Gorillas • Bonobos • Elephants • 1000 species of birds • >10,000 species of plants • 3000 found only in this forest • 8 World Heritage Sites
Resources • Timber, copper, cobalt, coltan, gold, manganese, uranium, oil, and diamonds • 64-80% of world’s reserves in coltan, but only 10% of world’s production
Geopolitical Background in DRC • 1908: established as a Belgian colony • 1960: gained independence • Mobutu in power for 32 years • 1994: start of civil war • 1997: Laurent Kabila came into power • 1999: ceasefire signed • 2001: Laurent Kabila assassinated • Joseph Kabila (son) became the head of state • 2002: Pretoria Accord signed • Elections in 2006 and 2011 • J Kabila won reelection (49%) • Carter Center – election lacked credibility • >24 people killed and 100,000 people displaced since election
Democratic Republic of Congo • Poorest country in the world • 71% of population below the poverty line • $13.5 B in external debt (86th in world) • 1.4 M internally displaced people (IDP) (2007) • Longest deployment of UN Peacekeeping Forces (since 1999) • International land disputes with the Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Zambia, and Angola • Export partners: China 46.9%, Zambia 23.3%, US 10.4%, Belgium 4.2% • Import partners: South Africa 19.2%, China 12.5%, Belgium 9.2%, Zambia 8.8%, Zimbabwe 6.9%, France 5.8%, Kenya 5.8%
Congo River Basin Southern African Development Community (SADC) Water Sector Working to improve data and communication in the region Commission of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin (CICOS) DRC, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic 2003: ratified the accord creating the organization Emphasis on navigation, then water resource management Interest in diverting water to Chad, but not enough data in Congo Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, Zambia Created in 2008 Regional oversight and management of the lake and its resources Agreements among Member States
International Involvement • Finland: EUR 100 M • SADC Regional Meteorology Project • Food and Agriculture Organization of UN • AQUASTAT • Germany: EUR 2.5 M • CICOS • Netherlands: EUR 4.7 M • WaterNet Trust • Sweden: EUR 3 M • Water Demand in Southern Africa • United Nations Development Program: USD 52.5 M • LTA
Role of International Parties • “Economic structures favored foreign investment, particularly in the extractive industry, and little had been achieved to empower and build the capacity of citizens.” – WWF report on Cameroon
International Aid to DRC from IMF 5 year average of aid given in US$ M Aid by Sector
Type of Financing by IMF
DRC and China • Relationship began in 1972 • China offers aid through education, hospitals, agriculture,infrastructure • Exponential increase in trade since 2004 • Sicomines • Barter deal arranged in 2008 • $9 B in infrastructure for mining concessions in Katanga province (~$50 B) • Controversial and opposed by some within DRC and internationally • Not enough transparency • Favors China too much • Worries regarding debt sustainability
Discussion Questions • What are some potential issues with different types of foreign aid? • How can foreign involvement be beneficial for the people of the DRC? • What are some competing interests with development and how can they be resolved? • What are some similarities and differences between the Congo and the Amazon?
Logging • Not well regulated or enforced • Disrupts gorilla habitats • Roads allow militants to move more easily • More poaching and brushmeat trade from militants and IDPs • Can affect carbon cycle and contribute to climate change • UNESCO and WWF trying to stop the exploitation of timber but it is a significant export for the region
