Zaire [Democratic Republic of Congo] Overview Travel Warning Unless on essential business we advise against all travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo and suggest you visit one of the following government websites for the latest risk assessment: British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website: www.fco.gov.uk/travel/countryadvice.asp Tel: +44 (0)20 7238 4503/4 US Department of State Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Website: http://voyage.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/destinations/menu General Information Area: 2,344,885 sq km (905,365 sq miles). Population: 53,624,718 (2001). Population Density: 22.9 per sq km. Capital: Kinshasa. Population: 4,655,313 (1994). GEOGRAPHY: The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third-largest country in Africa and is bordered to the north by the Central African Republic and Sudan, to the east by Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, to the south by Zambia and Angola and to the west by the Republic of Congo and the Angolan enclave, Cabinda. The country has a coastline of only 27km (17 miles), at the outlet of the Congo River, which flows into the Atlantic. The country straddles the Equator and has widely differing geographical features, including mountain ranges in the north and west, a vast central plain through which the Congo River flows, and the volcanoes and lakes of the Kivu region. The river has given rise to extensive tropical rainforests on the western border with the Republic of Congo. Government: Republic. Gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Head of State: President Joseph Kabila since 2001. Kabila took over following the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Language: The official language is French. There are many local languages, the most widely spoken being Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba and Kikongo. Religion: Predominantly Roman Catholic, with a minority of Protestant and traditional beliefs. Time: Kinshasa and Mbandaka: GMT + 1. Haut-Zaïre, Kasai, Kivu and Shaba: GMT + 2. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 243. Outgoing international code: 00. Internal telephone service is often unreliable and exists only in major towns. Satellite or cellular telephones are often used by international organisations. Mobile telephone GSM 900 and 1800 network cover Kinshasa. Network operators include Celtel Congo (website: www.msicellular.com), Intercel-Congo (website: www.starcel.com) and Congo-GSM (website: www.africanwireless.com). Roaming agreements exist. Using a handset in public can attract unwanted attention and make the user a target for robbery. Fax A few hotels have facilities. Internet Can be accessed, though power shortages may cause difficulties. There are Internet cafes in Kinshasa. Telegram These can be sent from chief telegraph offices, but are unreliable and sometimes subject to delays – particularly internal. Post Post office opening hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1800. The country is included in the Universal Postal Union and the African Postal Union. Airmail to Europe takes four to 18 days but can take much longer. Press The daily newspapers are in various African languages. The main newspapers are L’Analyste, Boyoma and Mjumbe. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 17.83 15.40 11.77 7.160 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.58 11.98 6.035 0.909 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes Yes Yes Australian Yes Yes Yes Canadian Yes Yes Yes USA Yes Yes Yes OtherEU Yes Yes Yes Japanese Yes Yes Yes PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) holders of a re-entry permit (only applies to those with resident status in the Democratic Republic of Congo); (b) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft within 48 hours provided holding valid onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport. Types of visa and cost: Visitor and Business. Single-entry: £40 (one month); £73 (two months); £105 (three months); £145.00 (six months). Multiple-entry: £65 (one month); £97 (two months); £121 (three months); £194.00 (six months). Validity: Three months from date of issue. Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Application requirements: (a) Valid passport. (b) One application form. (c) One passport-size photo. (d) Yellow fever vaccination certificate. (e) Stamped, self-addressed envelope (or cost of return postage) for postal applications. (f) Fee (payable on collection of visa; cash or postal orders only). (g) Return or onward travel documentation if travelling by overland vehicle. Tourist: (a)-(g) and, (h) Letter from tour company taking full financial responsibilty for the client and stating he/she has paid in full; or letter from employer/university giving proof of status and letter from bank/building society giving proof of sufficient funds. Business: (a)-(g) and, (h) Official letter of invitation endorsed by the Congolese authorities. (i) Letter from company in UK. Visits to friends and relatives: (a)-(g) and, (h) Letter from friends/relatives endorsed by the Congolese authorities. Working days required: Two days minimum, in person or by post. Temporary residence: Apply to Embassy. Money Currency: Franc Congolais (FC) = 1000 centimes. Owing to the precarious nature of the economy the denominations of the currency are subject to rapid change. Note: The Franc Congolais has been revalued. Currency exchange: Because of the parlous state of the economy the only true repository of value is the US Dollar. Free circulation of foreign currencies is now allowed within the country. Note that purchase of airline tickets within the country can be made only with money exchanged officially. Credit & debit cards: The use of MasterCard and Visa is limited to Kinshasa’s major hotels. Credit cards cannot be used to obtain cash advances at banks. Travellers cheques: Not recommended. Commission fees are very high, and travellers cheques are not accepted outside Kinshasa. Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is limited to US$10,000. The export of foreign currency is unlimited. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Franc Congolais against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 469.25 536.88 654.70 671.93 $1.00= 322.00 353.00 414.00 422.00 Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1130. Duty Free The following items may be imported into the Democratic Republic of Congo without incurring customs duty: 100 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 500g of tobacco; 1 bottle of alcoholic beverages; a reasonable amount of perfume for personal use. Note: Radios, tape recorders and gifts are subject to duty. Public Holidays Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Jan 4 Commemoration of the Martyrs of Independence. May 1 Labour Day. Jun 30 Independence Day. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Jan 4 Commemoration of the Martyrs of Independence. May 1 Labour Day. Jun 30 Independence Day. Dec 25 Christmas Day. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever Yes 1 Cholera 2 No Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A Malaria 4 N/A 1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required by travellers over one year of age. 2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is not an official condition of entry to the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. See the Health appendix. 3: Immunisation or boosters for typhoid are recommended and vaccination against poliomyelitis is sometimes advised. 4: Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists throughout the year in the whole country. The malignant form is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine. Mefloquine is the recommended prophylaxis. Food & Drink: All water should be regarded as being a potential health risk. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products that are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Hepatitis A, B and E are present and meningococcal meningitis may occur. Plague is present in natural foci. Further information should be sought from the Department of Health. There is a very high risk of diarrhoeal diseases, the dysenteries and various parasitic worm infections; observe strict food and drink caution. Leishmaniasis and human trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are present. Avoid tick bites which spread African tick typhus. Wear shoes to avoid soil-borne parasites. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care: Government expenditure on health is low and the quality of hospitals is poor. It is advisable to take specific personal medicines as well as supplies such as syringes and drip needles, as medical facilities are available only in larger centres. Doctors and hospitals expect cash payment in full for health services. Health insurance is essential and it is advisable to include cover for emergency air evacuation. Travel - International Note: Travel is not advised outside Kinshasa and the government-controlled town of Lubumbashi. Visitors should not enter the country from Rwanda or Uganda, and should avoid all eastern areas which remain under rebel control. For further information contact the relevant authority. AIR: Airlines serving the Democratic Republic of Congo include Lignes Aériennes Congolaises (6V), Air Afrique, Air Gabon, Business Aviation, Ethiopian Airlines, KLM, Kenya Airways, South African Airways and Air Zimbabwe. Approximate flight times: From Kinshasa to London is 10 hours 30 minutes including stopover in Brussels. International airports: Kinshasa (N’Djili) (FIH) is 25km (15 miles) southeast of the city. Coaches run to and from the city. Taxis are available. Airport facilities include 24-hour bank/bureau de change, post office, restaurant and car hire (Avis, Budget, Europcar, InterRent and Hertz), but all services may well be erratic and unreliable. Departure tax: None. SEA/RIVER: The international port is Matadi on the Congo River. There are no passenger services to or from Matadi at present. Ferries usually operate across the Congo River from Brazzaville to Kinshasa, although services are sporadic at present. In peacetime, there are ferries along the Oubangui River to the Central African Republic; these are not running at present, owing to political instability. RAIL: In peacetime, there are rail services to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Lobito in Angola; and connections to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. ROAD: Most of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s borders are closed or very dangerous. Even in peacetime, the roads are mostly in bad condition and impassable in the rainy season. There are connecting roads to surrounding countries, the major routes being through Sudan, Uganda and Zambia. Travel - Internal Note: There are indefinite restrictions on tourist travel within or across the country. A permit from the Ministry of the Interior is required for all travel outside the capital. Government curfews are in force in Kinshasa. AIR: There are connections from N’Djili Airport (Kinshasa) to over 40 internal airports and 150 landing strips. Small planes may be available for charter. RIVER: Over 1600km (1000 miles) of the Congo River are navigable and, in normal circumstances, there are services from Kinshasa to the up-river ports of Kisangani and Ilébo. Services at present, however, are unreliable owing to political instability and fuel shortages. RAIL: The main internal railway runs from Lubumbashi to Ilébo, with a branch to Kalemie and Kindu, and from Kinshasa to the port of Matadi. Rail services are generally subject to disruption. There is no air-conditioning, but there are couchettes and dining cars on the principal trains. ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. Owing to poor maintenance, the roads are among the worst in Africa and only achieve a fair standard around the main towns. It is wise to check that bridges are safe before crossing. Vehicle thefts, including hijackings at gunpoint, occur. Bus: Services run between the main towns but are crowded and unreliable. Taxi: Available in Kinshasa but unreliable. Car hire: Available on a limited basis at the airport. Documentation: International Driving Permit required. URBAN: Conventional bus services in Kinshasa can be severely overcrowded. Minibuses and converted truck-buses also offer public transport, and are known as fula fulas. Pick-up trucks are known as ‘taxibuses’. A better standard of transport is provided by shared taxis, which are widely available. There is little or no public transport in most other large centres. Accommodation The difficult terrain has resulted in relatively few settlements except along river banks. Accommodation is essentially restricted to the main cities, and is virtually non-existent in the interior. For further details contact the Embassy. The few hotels that cater for visitors are expensive and generally booked up well in advance. The majority of hotels are in Kinshasa, with others in Muanda, Boma, Matadi, Mbanzangunu, Mbandaka, Lubumbashi, Bukavu, Kolwezi, Kerning and Kisangani. Introduction This is a vast country, with an almost non-existent transport infrastructure; it has not been developed for tourism and this should be borne in mind when considering sightseeing. Kinshasa & the West KINSHASA: The capital does not have many sights of historic interest, but the visitor interested in the past should not miss the prehistoric and ethnological museums at Kinshasa University, an ensemble of light, rectangular, well laid-out buildings standing on a hillside. A brightly coloured chapel crowns the top of the hill. Nearby is a corner of the equatorial forest surrounding a beautiful lake called Ma Vallée with a tavern on its banks. Other attractions include the fishing port of Kinkole, the Gardens of the Presidential Farm of Nsele made of pagodas, and the extensive pools where angling and swimming may be enjoyed. In both the markets and the suburbs of Kinshasa there are craftsmen who produce wood and metal items. The National Museum includes some unique pieces of national art. SOUTHWEST CONGO & BANDUNDU: The Inkisi Falls (60m/197ft high) at Zongo and the caves in the region of Mbanza-Ngungu may be visited in one day, but it is preferable to stay for two or three days, for Mbanza-Ngungu is a pleasant resort with a good climate. While in the Mbanza-Ngungu area the visitor should stop at Kisantu to visit the Frère Gillet Botanic Gardens with their world-famous rare orchids. Further west are the wild slopes and gorges of the River Kwilu, 120km (75 miles) from Mataoi; on the right bank of the river is a spot of rugged beauty called Inga. The woods, caves and waterfalls of Boma and equatorial Mayumbe and the Tombs of Tshela can be visited on the way to the ocean beach of Moanda. Less easily accessible is the upper valley of the Kwango in the southwest. A long journey through a region of unspoiled natural beauty leads to the Tembo (formerly Guillaume) Falls. Central & Eastern Congo KASAI & SHABA: In the south, the Upemba National Park straddles the River Lualaba, northeast of Bukama, and includes several lakes inhabited by hippos, crocodiles and numerous aquatic birds. Here too are fishermen, cattle farmers and peasants, as well as a number of mining communities. Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi are typical tropical towns; Kalemie and the banks of Lake Tanganyika are reminiscent of the French Riviera. The whole of the south is dotted with freshwater lakes such as Munkamba, Fwa and Kasai; there are also numerous impressive waterfalls, such as Kiobo, on the River Lufira, and Lofol, 384m (1259ft) high, north of Lubumbashi. UPPER CONGO & THE KIVU: The high plateaux of Congo extend across the eastern part of the country, around lakes Tanganyika, Kivu, Edward, Albert and Bukavu. Bunia is a small, pretty town featuring villas, restaurants and hotels. In the north is the Garamba National Park, covering 400,000 hectares and featuring lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and giraffes. Lake Albert, which contains more fish than any other lake in Africa, lies at an altitude of over 618m (2027ft). It can be reached from Bunia, which is also the point of departure for numerous excursions into the forests and mountains, native villages, the Caves of Mount Hoyo and the Escaliers de Venus Falls. Lake Edward is the home of birds of all sizes and colours. The highest peak in the Ruwenzori range is the Pic Marguerite, at an altitude of 5119m (15,795ft). The snowline is at 533m (1776ft). This region is also inhabited by gorillas and by the extremely rare okapi. The mountain scenery between Goma and Beni was regarded as some of the most spectacular in Africa, although since the volcanic eruption of Nyiragongo, 3470m (11,385ft) on 17 January 2002, it is difficult to know the extent of damage caused to the surrounding area. VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK: Covering an area of 12,000 sq km (4633 sq miles), this comprises an immense plain bounded by two jagged mountain ranges that serve as a natural enclosure for the animals which roam at liberty in this huge natural reserve. Game includes numerous lions, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes, hippos and colourful aquatic birds. Social Profile Food & Drink: There are a number of good restaurants in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, but prices are high. Hotels and restaurants which cater for tourists are generally expensive and serve international and national dishes. A typical speciality is moambe chicken, cooked in fresh palm oil with rice and spinach. The capital Kinshasa offers French, Belgian and local cuisine, but again restaurants are expensive and cater essentially for business people. Small restaurants and snack bars offer Chinese, Tunisian and Greek food. Nightlife: Kinshasa is the best place for nightlife, especially in the sprawling township of the Cité, where most of the population live. In spite of recent political turmoil, the local music scene is thriving. There are hundreds of dance clubs in Kinshasa. Congolese music is popular throughout Africa as well as in Europe and the USA. Shopping: Local craftware includes bracelets, ebony carvings and paintings. The large towns all have markets and shopping centres, selling everything from fresh ginger to baskets and African carvings. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1800. Social Conventions: Casual clothes are widely suitable although scanty beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside. Photography: A permit is required. Even then, local authorities are likely to be sensitive. Avoid official areas, airports and riverbanks. Tipping: Ten per cent service charge is added to hotel and restaurant bills. Extra tipping is unnecessary. Business Profile Economy: With rich agricultural land and extensive mineral and energy deposits, the Democratic Republic of Congo is potentially one of the richest countries on the African continent. However, decades of chronic neglect at the hands of the corrupt Mobutu left it as one of the poorest, with a per capita annual income of just US$150. Such plans as the Kabila governments may have had for development have been undermined by the civil war. Moreover, no significant development aid – essential to rebuild the country’s infrastructure – can be expected until the conflict has ended. At least two-thirds of the population are engaged in subsistence farming: farmers produce palm oil, coffee, tea, cocoa, rubber, cotton, tropical woods, fruit, vegetables and rice. Industry runs well below capacity due to a lack of spare parts and foreign exchange with which to buy them. The country could be one of the world’s largest producers of copper and cobalt, but production is far short of its potential; what is produced is sold by the warring party in control of the mine to finance continued fighting. (In some cases, mining concessions have been handed over to a government ally in exchange for military support: Zimbabwe, which controls several copper mines in the south is the most notable example). The mining sector can also produce manganese, zinc, uranium and tin. There are also some oil deposits located off the short Atlantic coastline. Manufacturing for domestic consumption dominates the industrial sector, producing textiles, cement, food and beverages, wood products and plastics. Business: Businesspeople should wear lightweight suits. Interpreter and translation services are available as business is mainly conducted in French. The best time to visit is in the cool season (which varies from one part of the country to another). Office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1500, Sat 0730-1200. Commercial Information: The following organisation might be able to offer advice: Chambre de Commerce, d’Industrie et d’Agriculture de la République Democratique du Congo, BP 7247, 10 avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa (tel: (12) 24623 or 22286 or 22565). Climate Varies according to distance from the Equator, which lies across the north of the country. The dry season in the north is from December to March, and in the south May to October. The annual temperatures are warm and humidity is high. Required clothing: Lightweight clothes are recommended all year, with rainwear during the rainy season. History and Government History: The Belgian Congo was established in 1885. Having colonised the country the Belgians did virtually nothing other than establish the minimum infrastructure necessary to support the extraction of the country’s vast mineral wealth. In 1925, under a League of Nations mandate, the territories of Rwanda and Urundi (now Burundi) were incorporated administratively into the Belgian Congo. After World War II, with the mandate lapsed, the Belgian Congo was little more than one other African colony whose embarrassed owners, in this case the Belgians, were trying to dispose of with the minimum of fuss and maximum of future commercial advantage. Independence came swiftly in 1960. The first post-independence government, headed by Joseph Kasavupu and the legendary African political leader Patrice Lumumba, formed a short-lived government in 1960. However, under the pressure of factional and tribal disputes, backed by superpower interests which worried about the allegedly pro-Western or pro-Soviet inclinations of the main contenders, that government fell within six months. Inevitably, it was an army strongman, in this instance Colonel Joseph D Mobutu (later Mobutu Sese Seko) who emerged as the main Western-backed military candidate able to guarantee stability in the country. With Mobutu’s support, a civilian government was established under Cyrille Adoula in 1961. This government lasted for four years before Mobutu, by now the army Chief of Staff, took control for himself and established the military regime which ruled Zaire (as the country was renamed) for the next three decades. The regime, under its self-styled philosophy of ‘Mobutuisme’, was remarkable for the blatant nepotism and gargantuan larceny in which Mobutu, his family and principal supporters engaged. From the perspective of the Cold War, however, Zaire was a valuable strategic ally preventing the encroachment of communism in southern and central Africa. Once the Cold War ended, Mobutu’s relationship with the West – no longer of any significant use – went into precipitous decline; after the political settlement in South Africa, it effectively ceased to exist. The campaign which brought about Mobutu’s demise began in the remote north-eastern part of the country: it was spearheaded by the Rwandan military whose main objective was the destruction of Hutu rebel bases (see Rwanda section for more detail). However, the Rwandan incursion took on a different character as pro-Mobutu forces melted away and a diverse coalition of long-term exiles, veterans of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (see Rwanda section) and others with a grievance against Mobutu coalesced around the Rwandans. Laurent Kabila, a little-known Zairean opposition figure based for several decades in Uganda, emerged at the head of the coalition. Within nine months, beginning in the autumn of 1996, the Alliance des Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Congo-Zaire (AFDL) had completed their takeover. (Mobutu had already left for Morocco where he died shortly afterwards.) However, once in power, Kabila soon proved unable to handle either the multifarious elements in his anti-Mobutu coalition or tackle the huge problems facing the country, which was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That said, 30 years of Mobutu had reduced Zaire to the point where it barely functioned at all as a coherent nation state. The splits in the coalition led to the outbreak in July 1998 of full-scale fighting in the eastern part of the country between disenchanted Banyamulenge (ethnic Tutsis based in Zaire) troops and forces loyal to Kabila. The new Government appealed to its neighbours for support: Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia came in on Kabila’s side; Uganda and Rwanda against him (although these two have since fallen out and are now fighting each other on Congolese soil). Overall, the fighting has been inconclusive. A settlement brokered in Lusaka in the summer of 1999 is honoured only in the breach. The struggle is no longer a war as such, having degenerated into a series of isolated conflicts in which the participants are principally concerned with securing access to the country’s still substantial mineral resources. Most of the rest of the world seems to have given up on this benighted country. In January 2001, Laurent Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards: his son, Joseph, has taken over the presidency. Government: A constitutional decree issued in May 1997 placed all executive and legislative powers in the hands of the President of the Republic. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.