Introduction
  Elections
     Threats
     Parties involved
     PEPSA
  Media
     NiZA partners
  Economy
     Natural resources
     Fatal Transactions
     NiZA partners
  Good Governance
  Facts
     History
     Map of Congo
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Good Governance

Good governance in part involves good economic policy aimed at a fair distribution of wealth and welfare. The Democratic Republic of Congo has never truly had any kind of sound government.

(c) Henk Weltevreden
During the colonial era, it was primarily the Belgians who benefited from the purely export-driven economy. In the Mobutu years, from 1965 to 1997, it was le president-fondateur who plundered the funds from the national treasury. Mobutu once said: “My face is on every bank note, so all that money is mine.”

Since the end of the civil war and the beginning of the transition period (2002), ensuring the continuation of the stability seems more important than taking responsibility. The international community already provides sixty per cent of the government budget, but many feel that they do not insist on good governance strongly enough.

Although the current transitional government consists of rival warlords and politicians, they are not fighting each other. All of them seem to be primarily focused on filling their pockets with the revenues from the natural resources.

A parliamentary committee of inquiry investigated the mining contracts that the government signed during the civil wars. That investigation showed that politicians and companies conspired to steal millions of dollars of government money. Many of those involved are now part of the current transitional government.

The hope is that the elections will lead to better governance of the country, and that the rich ground will finally become a firm foundation for rebuilding the country. However, opinions on the matter differ widely.



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