+

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

2nd largest in world Length: 3,100 km Discharge: 40,000 m3/s Highest potential for

hydropower development

+Area and Precipitation

Area of Country within Basin (km2)

Angola Bu-rundiCameroo

n

Cen-tral African Re-pub-lic

DR Congo

Re-pub-lic of Cong

o

Rwanda

Tanza-nia Zambia

Area of Country within Basin (km2)

AngolaBurundiCameroonCentral African Repub-licDR CongoRepublic of CongoRwandaTanzaniaZambia

Angola

Burundi

Cameroon

Central African Repub-

lic

DR CongoRepub-lic of

Congo

Rwanda

Tan-zania

ZambiaAvg. Annual Rainfall (mm)

+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 IMF5 year average of aid given in US$ M

Action relating to debt

Administrative costs

Economic in-frastructure and services

Education

Health and populationHumanitarian aid

Multisector/cross-cutting

Other social sectors

Production sectors Program assistance

unallocated/unspec-ified

Aid by Sector

+Type of Financing by IMF

2000200120022003200420052006200720082009-1000

010002000300040005000600070008000

Type of Financing (US$ M)

Net Debt Relief GrantsRepaymentsGross LoansOther Grants

+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?

+

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

Logging