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'{{Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}} {{Update|inaccurate=yes|date=November 2012}} Its location in the center of Africa has made the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (at one time known as Zaire) a key player in the region since independence. Because of its size, [[mineral]] wealth, and strategic location, [[Zaire]] was able to capitalize on [[Cold War]] tensions to garner support from the West. In the early 1990s, however, with the end of the Cold War and in the face of growing evidence of [[human rights]] abuses, Western support waned as pressure for internal reform increased. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a civil war that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with [[Uganda]]n, [[Burundi]]an, and [[Rwanda]]n forces helping the rebel movement which occupies much of the eastern portion of the state. One problem is the continuing theft of mineral resources, such as [[coltan]], by occupying forces. One estimate has the Rwandan army making $350 million in 48 months from the sale of coltan, even though Rwanda has no coltan deposits. Not only can the DRC not make any money from its mineral wealth, due to its inability to tax anything in rebel-held areas, but the wealth is also used itself to finance insurgent activities. Troops from [[Zimbabwe]], [[Angola]], [[Namibia]], [[Chad]], and [[Sudan]] support the Kinshasa regime. Furthermore, relations with surrounding countries have often been driven by security concerns. Intricate and interlocking alliances have often characterized regional relations. Conflicts in [[Sudan]], [[Uganda]], [[Angola]], [[Rwanda]], and [[Burundi]] have at various times created bilateral and regional tensions. The current crisis in DRC has its roots both in the use of The Congo as a base by various insurgency groups attacking neighboring countries and in the absence of a broad-based political system in the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also a member of the [[International Criminal Court]] with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the [[United States|U.S.]]-military (as covered under [[Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court|Article 98]]). ==Disputes – international== Democratic Republic of the Congo is in the grip of a [[Second Congo War|civil war]] that has drawn in military forces from neighboring states, with [[Uganda]] and [[Rwanda]] supporting the rebel movements that occupy much of the eastern portion of the state – [[Tutsi]], [[Hutu]], [[Lendu]], [[Hema (ethnicity)|Hema]] and other conflicting ethnic groups, political rebels, and various government forces continue fighting in [[Great Lakes region (Africa)|Great Lakes region]], transcending the boundaries of [[Burundi]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Rwanda]], and [[Uganda]] – heads of the Great Lakes states pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continues despite [[UN]] peacekeeping efforts; most of the [[Congo River]] boundary with the [[Republic of the Congo]] is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the [[Pool Malebo]]/Stanley Pool area). On December 19, 2005, the [[International Court of Justice]] found against [[Uganda]], in a case brought by the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], for illegal invasion of its territory, and violation of human rights. ==Illicit drugs== The DRC has some illicit production of [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]], mostly for domestic consumption. While rampant [[political corruption|corruption]] and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to [[money laundering]], the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center. ==Bilateral relations== ===Belgium=== {{main|Belgium–Democratic Republic of the Congo relations}} As the former coloniser of, Belgium and the DR Congo share a privileged relationship. * Belgium has an embassy in [[Kinshasa]] and a consulate-general in [[Lubumbashi]].<ref>[http://countries.diplomatie.belgium.be/fr/republique_democratique_du_congo/ Embassy of Belgium in Kinshasa (in French and Dutch)]</ref> * DR Congo has an embassy in [[Brussels]].<ref>[http://www.ambardc.eu Embassy of the DR Congo in Brussels (in French)]</ref> ===Canada=== {{main|Canada–Democratic Republic of the Congo relations}} Formal diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1965.<ref>Brown, J. C. Gordon. 2000. ''Blazes along a diplomatic trail: a memoir of four posts in the Canadian foreign service'', Victoria, B.C.: Trafford, p. 158-180, http://www.google.ca/search?tbo=p&tbm=bks&q=isbn:1552125246</ref> The Democratic Republic of the Congo maintains an [[Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Ottawa|embassy]] in [[Ottawa]]. The [http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/congo/contact-contactez.aspx?lang=eng Canadian embassy] in [[Kinshasa]] provides dual diplomatic services, to the D.R. Congo and the [[Republic of Congo]]. Canada and the D.R. Congo share full membership in [[Francophonie]]. Canada was the D.R. Congo's ninth-largest country donor of [[official development assistance]] over 1960-2009, disbursing a total of US$0.89 billion in constant 2008 US dollars, or 2.4% of DRC's total bilateral aid receipts.<ref>Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. "Aggregate Aid Statistics: ODA by recipient by country", OECD International Development Statistics (database). {{doi|10.1787/data-00061-en}} (accessed March 12, 2011).</ref> In 2009, Cdn.$3.3 billion in assets were held by thirteen large-scale and junior Canadian mining companies in the DRC, a ten-fold increase from 2001.<ref>Miron, Michel. 2010. "Africa: Cumulative Canadian Mining Assets" (calculated at acquisition, construction or fabricating costs, and includes capitalized exploration and development costs, non-controlling interests, and excludes liquid assets, cumulative depreciation, and write-off), Minerals and Metals Sector, Department of Natural Resources Canada, internal document.</ref> ===China=== {{main|China-Democratic Republic of the Congo relations}} China is involved in a lot of [[foreign direct investment]] in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily in the secondary (manufacturing) and primary (resource extraction) markets. China is investing money into infrastructure as well. ===Greece=== {{main|Democratic Republic of the Congo–Greece relations}} The Democratic Republic of the Congo has an embassy in [[Athens]]. Both countries are full members of [[Francophonie]]. In July 2009, the Greek government pledged USD 500,000 through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for humanitarian assistance to Congo.<ref>http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=7007015&maindocimg=7002746&service=96</ref> * [http://www.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/en-US/Policy/Geographic+Regions/Sub-Saharan+Africa/Bilateral+Relation/Democratic+Republic+of+Congo/ Greek Foreign Affaires Ministry about relations with Democratic Republic of Congo] ===India=== * India has an Embassy in [[Kinshasa]].<ref>[http://mea.gov.in/indian-mission.htm?39/39/0 Indian Embassy in Democratic Republic of the Congo]</ref> * Democratic Republic of the Congo maintains an Embassy in [[New Delhi]].<ref>[http://www.embassypages.com/missions/embassy21096/ Democratic Republic of the Congo Embassy in India]</ref> ===Namibia=== {{main|Democratic Republic of the Congo-Namibia relations}} ===Pakistan=== ===Russia=== {{main|Democratic Republic of the Congo–Russia relations}} The Democratic Republic of the Congo has an embassy in [[Moscow]] and an honorary consulate in [[Yekaterinburg]]. Russia has an [[Embassy of Russia in Kinshasa|embassy in Kinshasa]].<ref>[http://www.drc.mid.ru/ Embassy of the Russian Federation in Kinshasa]</ref> ===Rwanda=== Rwandan [[List of Presidents of Rwanda|President]] [[Paul Kagame]] met with the Democratic Republic of the Congo's President Joseph Kabila in [[Goma]] on 6 August 2009.<ref name="Kagame and Kabila restore ties"/> It was the first presidential meeting between the two countries for 13 years,<ref name="'New era' for DR Congo and Rwanda"/> with the two countries having come to a disagreement in 1996 following an invasion by Rwanda into eastern Congo, a disagreement which was renewed in 1998 after a further invasion.<ref name="Kagame and Kabila restore ties"/> The pair of presidents spent more than two hours in the company of each other and "reviewed all issues of common interest".<ref name="Kagame and Kabila restore ties">{{cite web|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=136&art_id=nw20090806230238968C709941|title=Kagame and Kabila restore ties|date=2009-08-07|accessdate=2009-08-10|publisher=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]]}}</ref> Kabila referred to it as "the first giant step forward" in what was referred to as an "all new era".<ref name="'New era' for DR Congo and Rwanda">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8188715.stm|title='New era' for DR Congo and Rwanda|date=2009-08-06|accessdate=2009-08-10|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> One month previous to the meeting both countries had appointed ambassadors to each other's capitals.<ref name="Kagame and Kabila restore ties"/><ref name="'New era' for DR Congo and Rwanda"/> In August 2013, Rwanda accused Congolese forces of persistently shelling Congo’s territory after a flare-up of fighting in the eastern Congo.<ref>{{cite web| title=Rwanda says Congolese forces shelling its territory | author=Jenny Clover| publisher=Reuters|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/29/us-congo-democratic-rwanda-idUSBRE97S0T920130829| date=29 August 2013}}</ref> ===South Korea=== {{main|Foreign relations of the Republic of Korea}} Diplomatic relations were established between [[South Korea]] and the Congo on 1 April 1963.<ref>http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/countries/middleeast/countries/20070804/1_24480.jsp?menu=m_30_50</ref> ===United States=== {{main|Democratic Republic of the Congo-United States relations}} The United States appointed its current [[ambassador]] to the D.R.C. in 2007. The D.R.C. appointed its current ambassador to the United States in 2000. The Congo has been on the [[State Department]]'s travel advisory list since 1977. {{StateDept}}[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2823.htm#relations] ==See also== *[[List of diplomatic missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] *[[List of diplomatic missions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] ==References== {{reflist}} {{Foreign relations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}} {{DRC topics}} {{Africa in topic|Foreign relations of}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Foreign Relations Of The Democratic Republic Of The Congo}} [[Category:Foreign relations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo| ]]'