Democratic Republic of the Congo - a country with great opportunities

The country in the heart of Africa is rich in natural and mineral resources. However, many people struggle for survival on a daily basis.

Most water-rich river, many raw materials

The DR Congo is characterised by impressive ecosystems. One of the largest continuous jungle areas in the world is part of this.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo or DRC) knows how to impress. Not only is it the second-largest country in Africa in terms of area, but it is also home to the continent's second-largest river, the Congo River. Additionally, when considering its tributaries and the large lakes in the east of the country, the Congo River holds the richest water resources on earth.

Many mineral resources and lots of rainforest

The country is a treasure trove of raw materials. It is rich in copper, tin, gold, diamonds, crude oil, cobalt, and coltan. The latter, in particular, is highly valuable for the production of mobile phones and laptops. These natural resources are in high demand and are fiercely contested on the world market. In addition to its mineral wealth, the country also boasts fertile soils for agriculture and the largest continous areas of tropical rainforest outside of Brazil and Indonesia.

A typical hut in a remote village with few paved roads in the entire country. Photo: CBM
The DR Congo is the only natural habitat of the bonobo dwarf chimpanzee species. Photo: Pixabay/tsauquet
The okapi lives in seclusion in the rainforests. It is on the list of endangered species. Photo: pixabay/marc benedetti
Many people have no access to clean water. River water is often unsafe. Photo: CBM

A heavy legacy and great hardship

DRC-first steps in combating NTDs

In 1885, the Belgian King Leopold II appropriated the Congo as private property. Although the country was formally independent, the king regarded the Congolese as property without rights. This was accompanied by decades of exploitation of the country and mistreatment of the population. Even after independence in 1960, the country could not breathe a sigh of relief. This was followed by the 32-year authoritarian dictatorship of Joseph Mobutu - one of the most corrupt in Africa - civil wars and ethnic conflicts.

To this day, the country has not recovered from the consequences of colonial rule, exploitation, corruption and excesses of violence, making DR Congo one of the poorest countries in the world despite its mineral wealth. There are hardly any paved roads, hardly any access to clean drinking water and inadequate medical care. 40% of children under five are not adequately developed due to malnutrition. There is only one doctor for every 10,000 people and over 52 million people need support with neglected tropical diseases ("WHO Statistics 2023"/World Health Organisation, 2023).

By determining body size, volunteers can calculate the correct dose of the drug Mectizan, which protects against river blindness.

CBM in the DR Congo

With the support of CBM and the WHO, the Ministry of Health of the DR Congo has established a national programme to control and combat NTDs.

CBM is the Congolese government's main partner in the fight against river blindness. For example, CBM employees train local volunteers and ensure the transport and distribution of the drug Mectizan.

DR Congo at a glance

Kinshasa was founded in 1881 under the name Léopoldville. In 1966, the capital was given its current name, which goes back to a village that was located in the urban area at the time. Kinshasa is the third largest city in Africa.

Area: 2.3 million km²
Population: 99.01 million (4)
Capital: Kinshasa
Climate: tropical
Languages: French (official language), four national languages, 200 other languages¹
Religion: 50 per cent Roman Catholic, 20 per cent Protestant, 10 per cent Muslim, 10 per cent Kimbangu, 10 per cent traditional animist religions
Life expectancy: 59.2 years²
Infant mortality rate: 81 per 1,000³
Human Development Index: 179th out of 191²
Proportion of people who have less than USD 2.15 a day: 74.6 per cent (2023)²

Sources: ¹ Federal Foreign Office; ² Human Development Index Report 2021/2022; ³ World Bank country data 2022; (4) World Bank country data 2024