Kongo ENG

COUNTRY FACT SHEET

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Disclaimer IOM has carried out the gathering of information with caution. IOM provides information at its best knowledge and in all conscience.

Nevertheless, IOM cannot assume to be held accountable for the correctness of the information provided. Furthermore, IOM shall not be liable for any conclusions made or any results, which are drawn from the information provided by IOM. 1

COUNTRY FACT SHEET

Table of Contents I. General Information II. Governance

1. Administrative Division III. Environment IV. Economy V. Employment

1. Worker Rights

2. Child Labour and Minimum Age for Employment VI. Banking System VII. Starting a Business

1. Micro Credits VIII. Religion IX. Marriage X. Healthcare

1. Medicines

2. Treatment for HIV/AIDS

3. Mental diseases XI. Social system XII. Citizenship

1. Passports XIII. Telecommunications and Postal Services XIV. Media XV. Transportation XVI. Housing

1. Buying Property XVII. Education

1. Access to Primary School, High School and University

2. Vocational Training XVIII. Useful Links

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3 4 4 4 5 6 8 9 9 10 11 13 14 14 15 15 17 17 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 23 23 24 25

COUNTRY FACT SHEET I. General Information • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Full name: Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Population: 71,712,867 (July 2011 est.)

Capital: Kinshasa Major cities: Major cities are Kinshasa (8.401 million people), Lubumbashi (1.543 million), Mbuji-Mayi (1.488 million), Kananga (878,000), and Kisangani (812,000).

35% of the population live in urban areas.

Area: 2.34 million sq km (905,354 sq miles) Major languages: French, Lingala, Kiswahili, Kikongo, Tshiluba Major religions: Christianity, Islam Major ethnic groups: There are over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes – Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu) and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) – make up about 45% of the population.

Life expectancy: Life expectancy at birth is 55.33 years.

Monetary unit: 1 Congolese franc = 100 centimes Main exports: Diamonds, copper, coffee, cobalt, crude oil GNI per capita: US $160 (World Bank, 2009) Internet domain: .cd International dialling code: +243 Borders: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola’s discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the then-Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability.

Col. Joseph Mobutu seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name to Mobutu Sese Seko and that of the country to Zaire. Mobutu retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through force. Ethnic strife and civil war, sparked by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the Mobutu regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent Kabila. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed

by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support Kabila’s regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent Kabila was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph Kabila, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003. Joseph Kabila as president and four vice presidents represented the former government, former rebel groups, the political opposition, and civil society. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006.

The National Assembly was installed in September 2006 and Kabila was inaugurated president in December 2006. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, followed by elected governors and national senators in January 2007. The next national elections are scheduled for November 2011.

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET II. Governance Bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (108 seats; members elected by provincial assemblies to serve five-year terms) and a National Assembly (500 seats; 61 members elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies, 439 members elected by open list proportional-representation in multi-member constituencies to serve five-year terms).

Judicial branch consists of Constitutional Court, Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation, Council of State, High Military Court, plus civil and military courts and tribunals.

Multiparty presidential and National Assembly elections in 2006 were judged to be credible, despite some irregularities, while indirect elections for senators in 2007 were marred by allegations of vote buying. There were many instances in which state security forces acted independently of civilian control and of military command.

The constitution provides citizens with the right to change their government peacefully, and citizens exercised this right in practice through credible presidential, parliamentary, and provincial elections based on universal suffrage.

The law on the status and rights of the political opposition recognizes opposition parties represented in parliament as well as those outside it and provides for their right to participate in political activities without fear of retribution. Political parties are able to operate most of the time without restriction or outside interference; however, there are notable exceptions.

Opposition members are sometimes harassed.

Between 2005 and 2008, the proportion of seats held by women in parliament decreased from 12 per cent to 8 per cent. Women held 50 of 500 seats in the National Assembly and 43 of 690 seats in the provincial assemblies. Four of the 108 senators were women.

Among the 45 government ministers and vice ministers, five were women.

Many ethnic groups, including Pygmies, are not represented in the Senate, the National Assembly or provincial assemblies. The lack of political participation of some ethnic groups is a result of continuing societal discrimination. The enslavement and discrimination of Pygmies continues in some areas of the country.

1. Administrative Division The country is divided into 10 provinces and one city-province – Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Équateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa (city-province), Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu. The provinces are subdivided into Districts, which are divided into territories.

Uncertainty has remained over the decentralization process. The constitution provides for the establishment of 26 provinces to replace the 11-province structure. Administrative powers and financial resources are to be transferred to the new provinces to allow them to assume their new responsibilities. The constitution, which defines a timetable for these steps, specifies that the new territorial boundaries were to come into force 36 months after the Senate took office, in May 2007. However, the boundaries had not come into force, and only four of the 13 decentralization laws, had been adopted and promulgated.

III. Environment The climate in DRC is tropical – hot and humid in the equatorial river basin, cooler and drier in the southern highlands and cooler and wetter in the eastern highlands. The vast 4

COUNTRY FACT SHEET central basin in DRC is a low-lying plateau with mountains to the east.

The main natural resources in DRC are cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber.

Natural hazards include periodic droughts in the south, Congo River floods and there are also some active volcanoes. For example, Nyiragongo, which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter of a million people. Its neighbour, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa’s most active volcano. Visoke is the only other historically active volcano.

There are other environmental issues that need to be addressed. For example, poaching threatens wildlife populations, there are problems with water pollution, deforestation and soil erosion and the mining of minerals (coltan, diamonds and gold) causes environmental damage.

IV. Economy The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo – a nation endowed with vast potential wealth – is slowly recovering from decades of decline. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960 and the conflict that began in May 1997 have dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 5 million people from violence, famine and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President Kabila began implementing reforms. Progress has been slow and the International Monetary Fund curtailed their programme for the DRC at the end of March 2006 because of fiscal overruns. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector, and is not reflected in GDP data. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted the national fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006–2008; however, the government’s review of mining contracts that began in 2006, combined with a fall in world market prices for the DRC’s key mineral exports temporarily weakened output in 2009, leading to a balance of payments crisis. The recovery in mineral prices beginning in mid-2009 boosted mineral exports, and emergency funds from the IMF boosted foreign reserves. An uncertain legal framework, corruption and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the mining sector and for the economy as a whole. The global recession cut economic growth in 2009 to less than half its 2008 level, but growth returned to 6% in 2010. The DRC signed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF in 2009 and received $12 billion in multilateral and bilateral debt relief in 2010.

Bilateral and multilateral donors have made significant investments in support of DRC’s transitional process. The World Bank has a number of active projects in DRC. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is requiring the DRC to implement reforms in macroeconomic stability before it will begin a poverty reduction and growth facility programme. A tight fiscal policy is thought to be necessary for the DRC to improve economic conditions. The DRC’s fiscal policy is primarily focused on increasing domestic revenue and shifting state expenditures toward infrastructure and the social sectors. The Central Bank of the DRC appears committed to maintaining price stability and tight control of the country’s money supply, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Real GDP growth is expected at 6.5% in 2011 and 6.3% in 2012, according to the EIU. Inflation 5

COUNTRY FACT SHEET rates, however, are expected to reach 15% in 2011 and 12% in 2012.

Although agriculture is the dominant sector of the economy (accounting for approximately half of GDP and employing 75% of the labour force), development and productivity rates are nearly impossible to gauge due to a lack of reliable statistics. The mining sector is likely to be the country’s primary vehicle for growth as foreign direct investment increases.

Mining output should also increase DRC’s export earnings and compensate for falling commodity prices in the international market. DRC’s high external debt burden ($13.5 billion) underscores the need for debt relief under the IMF-World Bank’s HIPC (heavily indebted poor countries) initiative and the multilateral debt relief initiative. In February 2010, the Paris Club agreed to reschedule or write off at least half of DRC’s $7 billion debt. The Kabila government’s budget expenditure plans are very cautious and somewhat vague, a fact government officials attribute to the need for pragmatism to address DRC’s large external debt. In recent years, China has expanded its trade and economic activities with DRC. In 2008, China signed a major mining and construction agreement with the DRC government. The mining agreement is a source of contention in Congo.

The main agriculture products in DR are coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, cotton, cocoa, quinine, cassava (tapioca), manioc, bananas, plantains, peanuts, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products.

The main industries are mining (diamonds, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan, zinc, tin, diamonds), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes, metal products, processed foods and beverages), timber, cement, commercial ship repair.

V. Employment Finding a job in the DRC is difficult and the informal labour market is a good deal larger than the formal labour market. Small and medium business enterprises are at present among the main economic activities. Some inter-governmental organisations (IGOs) and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) have begun to provide micro grants and loans to help the local population start up their own businesses. The government has established a National Office of Employment and Labour (www.onemocongo.org) but its capacity to assist remains limited.

It is generally difficult to obtain a good job in the DRC. One contributing reason is the inundation of the labour market with graduate job seekers. In some cases, even a diploma from a renowned university is useless when looking for work. However, among the employed population, it is still true that people who have a university diploma tend to have a higher salary. Because companies and other enterprises have been looted since the beginning of the 1990s, there is no major sector that offers significant job opportunities.

The civil wars of the last few years have increased the labour crisis. However, no official unemployment rate figures are available. Recently, non-governmental and international organisations have been the major employers in the DRC and most of the jobs created are in the development field. Typical activities include project management, logistics, and radio operations.

The labour laws and regulations in the DRC are established by the Labour Law of the DRC, le Droit du Travail.

The labour market in the DRC has two levels: • The formal (or “modern”) sector covers only 2.8% of the labour market. It is composed of individual enterprises as well as private, charitable and public companies, covering all types of activities and sub-sectors. In the formal sector, employees benefit from 6

COUNTRY FACT SHEET

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social and legal protection, and are very often organised into unions.

The informal (or “traditional”) sector is thought to cover more than 80% of the market and is composed of small individual companies or micro businesses. Despite the prevalence of this sector, employees do not benefit from legal or social protection.

Both sectors are characterised by an absence of clear rules and regulations. Some companies obtain special authorisations for the few procedures that are in place by paying a “lump-sum” that includes the taxes and fees due to the State.

On both levels, salaries depend on the owner or on the sector. Employers in the informal sector often respect the legally required minimum wage of 1,680 Congolese francs (approximately $1.86) per day. The average monthly wage does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Government salaries remain low, ranging from 45,000 to 75,000 Congolese francs (approximately $50 to $82) per month, and salary arrears are common in both the civil service and public enterprises.

The law defines different standard workweeks, ranging from 45 to 72 hours, for various jobs. The law also prescribes rest periods and premium pay for overtime, but employers often do not respect these provisions in practice. The law establishes no monitoring or enforcement mechanism, and businesses often ignore these standards in practice. The law specifies health and safety standards; however, government agencies do not effectively enforce them. The law does not provide workers with the right to remove themselves from dangerous work situations without jeopardising their employment.

There are no particular requirements for applying for a job. Since 2002, the National Office of Employment and Labour has been in charge of labour issues. However, this office has limited capabilities to assist. Vacancies are rarely advertised in newspapers. They are instead passed orally to close friends and relatives, except for the rare cases where advertisements are posted on the gates or in the lobby of a company. Companies often advertise a position for the sake of appearances and to give the perception of compliance with internal regulations. It is customary to select an insider even before posting the job advertisement.

Women have access to the labour market in the DRC and the majority of small businesses are run by women. Also, some 65% of the active population in the agricultural sector are women.

In fact, women are strongly encouraged to work, particularly in urban areas.

The main economic activities in the DRC are small businesses and micro enterprises.

Examples of such small businesses include: • transport companies: e.g. taxi or mini bus • bars • shops selling basic items • hair dressing salons • clothes shops/stalls • shops selling spare parts and tyres for cars • dress makers, with training facilities • places selling phone cards • small communication centres (phone shop) • food shops • pharmacies • public secretariats (typing and printing services) with a computer training centre.

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET 1. Worker Rights The constitution provides all workers, except government officials and members of the state security forces, with the right to form and join trade unions without prior authorization or excessive requirements. In practice, the extent to which the government protects this right is limited. Of an estimated 24 million adults of working age, 128,000 employees in the private sector (0.5 percent) belong to unions. No information is available regarding the number of union members in the public sector. The informal sector, including subsistence agriculture, constitutes at least 90 per cent of the economy. The law provides for the right of unions to conduct activities without interference and to bargain collectively; however, the government does not always protect these rights.

Private companies often register bogus unions to create confusion among workers and discourage real ones from organizing. According to NGO reporting, many of the nearly 400 unions in the private sector have no membership and have been established by management, particularly in the natural resources sector.

The constitution provides for the right to strike, and workers sometimes exercise it. In small and medium-sized businesses, workers cannot exercise this right effectively in practice.

With an enormous unemployed labour pool, companies and shops can immediately replace any workers attempting to unionize, collectively bargain, or strike. The law requires unions to have prior consent from the Ministry of Labour and to adhere to lengthy mandatory arbitration and appeal procedures before striking. The law prohibits employers and the government from retaliating against strikers; however, the government does not enforce this law in practice.

While a 2002 law provides for the right to organize and for collective bargaining, collective bargaining is ineffective in practice. The government has set public sector wages by decree, and unions are permitted to act only in an advisory capacity. Most unions in the private sector collect dues from workers but do not succeed in engaging in collective bargaining on their behalf.

The law prohibits discrimination against union employees, although authorities do not enforce this regulation effectively, and anti-union discrimination occurs in practice. The law also requires employers to reinstate workers fired for union activities.

The constitution prohibits forced or compulsory labour, including by children; however, although no statistics are available, both are practiced throughout the country. The government does not effectively enforce laws prohibiting forced or compulsory labour.

Men, women, and children are coerced into forced labour and sexual exploitation.

Children are prostituted in brothels or by loosely organized networks. It is estimated that tens of thousands of children work in the mining sector, most often in extremely dangerous conditions as artisanal miners. In the east, Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) elements and rebels continue to abduct and forcibly recruit men, women, and children to serve as labourers (including in mines), porters, domestics, combatants, and sex slaves.

Some police officers in the east reportedly arrest individuals arbitrarily in order to extort money from them; those who are unable to pay are forced to work until they have “earned� their freedom. Government security forces continue to force men, women, and children, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and prisoners, to serve as porters, mine workers, and domestic labourers.

In the mining sector, middlemen and dealers acquire raw ore from unlicensed miners in 8

COUNTRY FACT SHEET exchange for tools, food, and other products. Miners who fail to provide sufficient ore become debt slaves and are forced to continue working to pay off arrears. The government has not attempted to regulate this practice.

Armed entities operating outside central government control subjected civilians, including children, to forced labour, including sexual slavery.

Social reform is underway to improve support for people requiring medical care and suffering occupational accidents, amongst other issues. However, this support will only be available to people working in the formal labour market, which excludes approximately 80% of the country’s population.

2. Child Labour and Minimum Age for Employment There are laws to protect children from exploitation in the workplace; however, government agencies do not effectively enforce child labour laws. Child labour remains a problem throughout the country, including forced child labour. For economic survival, families often encourage children to work in order to earn money. According to the Ministry of Labour, children continue to work in mines and stone quarries, and as child soldiers, water sellers, domestic servants, and entertainers in bars and restaurants.

Although the minimum age for full-time employment without parental consent is 18 years old, employers may legally hire minors between the ages of 15 and 18 with the consent of a parent or guardian. Those under the age of 16 may work a maximum of four hours per day. All minors are restricted from transporting heavy items.

According to data collected by UNICEF in surveys between 1999 and 2007, approximately 32 percent of children between the ages of five and 14 were involved in child labour.

State security forces and non-state armed bodies in conflict-affected areas in the east use children, including child soldiers, for forced labour in mines. However, the use of forced child labour by state security forces is not limited to conflict zones. Children made up as much as 30 per cent of the work force in the informal (“artisanal”) mining sector. In the mining regions of the provinces of Katanga, Kasai Occidental, Orientale, and North and South Kivu, children performed dangerous mining work, often underground. In many areas of the country, children who are five to 12 years old break rocks to make gravel for a small wage.

Child prostitution, including forced prostitution, is practiced throughout the country. In addition, children are used to extract copper, cobalt, and gold. In the east, armed entities force children to mine coltan, tungsten ore, and cassiterite. Parents often use children for dangerous and difficult agricultural labour. Children sent to relatives by parents who cannot support them sometimes effectively become the property of those families, who subject them to physical and sexual abuse.

VI. Banking System The banking system in DRC is recovering from a period of turmoil. Foreign banks, such as Citibank, Belgolaise, Stanbic Bank and others, are operating in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.

A savings bank account can be opened with Procredit Bank and the Congo African International Bank (Banque Internationale pour l’Afrique au Congo (BIAC). Opening a bank account is a simple procedure. The necessary forms must be filled in and there is a compulsory deposit of between USD 100 (EUR 67.60) and USD 3,000 (EUR 2,028).

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET Procredit Bank 4b, Avenue des Aviteurs, Gombe Kinshasa, RDC Tel: +243 (0) 818302700 E-mail: mail@procreditbank.cd Internet: http://www.procreditbank.cd/ Banque Internationale pour l’Afrique au Congo 87, Boulevard du 30 juin Kinshasa, RDC Tel: +243 81 555 4000 Fax: +33 1 5301 06 81 E-mail: contact@biac.cd & com@biac.cd Internet: http://www.biac.cd/ VII. Starting a Business In order to open a shop or office, certain procedures need to be followed. For instance, authorisation must be obtained and commercial registration made with the Ministry of Commerce. The costs related to the procedures to be followed when opening small shops or offices are as follows, apart from monthly taxes: • authorisation: USD 200 (EUR 135.20) • Commercial Register (Identification): USD 60 (EUR 40.56) • Agence Nationale de Renseignement (ANR) (National Investigation Agency): USD 100 (EUR 67.60); • Culture and Art: USD 50 (EUR 33.80); • Environment: USD 50 (EUR 33.80).

It does not normally take long to go through this procedure. Applicants receive the papers as soon as they pay the fees.

Listed below is a detailed summary of the bureaucratic and legal hurdles an entrepreneur must overcome in order to incorporate and register a new firm, along with their associated time and set-up costs. It examines the procedures, time and cost involved in launching a commercial or industrial firm with up to 50 employees and start-up capital of 10 times the economy’s per-capita gross national income (GNI).

1. Obtain a certificate confirming headquarters location.

The “certificate confirming headquarters location” is an administrative document provided by the municipality of Kinshasa, or the local commune. To avoid the notarization of fictitious or nonexistent companies, this document is traditionally required by the public notary of Kinshasa before the notarization of the company’s statutes and their registration. This costs 1,000 CDF and takes around 7 days.

2. Notarize the articles of association.

The law requires that the company’s statutes, signed by the founders, are notarized by a public notary before registration with the Commercial Registry. A confirmation certificate of deposited document obtained from the notary must be annexed to the file. Note that only one public notary exists in Kinshasa. It costs USD 53 per document, assuming 5 documents and takes around 2 weeks.

3. Register with the Commercial Registry.

To register with the Commercial Registry, the following documents must be filed: o Identity card or passport (one copy). o Completed form BA. 10

COUNTRY FACT SHEET o Notarized Articles of Association. o A signed declaration from the manager certifying that he has never been arrested by the police. o Declaration of conformity to the law, which is dated and signed by each founder. o Letter addressed to the divisional clerk of the Court of First Instance (Tribunal de Grande Instance). o Marital consent letter if the founder is a woman.

It costs USD 120 for the registry and USD 40 to deposit the document and the process takes about 9 days to complete.

4. Publication of the company’s statutes in the official journal.

This usually costs around CDF 300 per line.

5. Obtain a national identification number from the Ministry of Economy.

This formality is imposed by Article 1 of Ordinance No. 73/236 (dated 13 August 1973). The time to obtain the national identification number has been reduced because the Minister of Economy has delegated his authority to issue the number to the Secretary General of the Ministry, who has expedited the process. It takes 1 month and costs USD 230.

6. Register the company for tax with the Direction Générale des Impots.

New companies must register with the Direction Générale des Impots to notify it of the company’s legal existence and to obtain the national identification number. This formality is done by sending a formal letter to the Direction Générale. This procedure is without charge and takes around 7 days.

7. Declare the establishment of the company with the Inspectorate of Labour (l’Inspection du Travail) and the National Office of Employment (l’Office National de l’Emploi).

According to Article 216 of the Labour Code, any physical or legal person planning any activity that requires the hiring of workers must notify the Labour Inspection Department and the National Bureau of Employment within 15 days of the start of business. The declaration is filed in a single form, with one specimen sent to the Inspectorate of Labour and another two to the Office of Employment. This takes 1 day and is free of charge.

8. Receive inspection by the inspection officials from the Ministry of Labour.

After the Ministry of Labour receives the declaration of the commencement of activities, the Ministry can send inspectors to check if the company is in conformity with employment legislation.

9. Register with the National Institute for Social Security.

Registration with the National Institute for Social Security is required by Article 4 of the Ministerial Decree no. 2/61 (dated 16 August 1961). This takes about 7 days and is free of charge.

10. Obtain operational permit from the Municipality.

Before starting, the SPRL must obtain this business permits “to open its doors” and the “permis d’exploitation” according to the nature of your business. The SPRL must inform the Municipality of its existence and obtain both authorizations to start business. This takes about 7 days and costs USD 250 for each permit.

1. Micro Credits Both NGOs and international organisations have introduced micro credit programmes in the DRC but under various conditions. For example, applicants need to belong to a specified group in society, normally to groups that are considered vulnerable. There is a 11

COUNTRY FACT SHEET limit to the size of the credit. Micro credit programmes are usually aimed at households where at least one of the members is considered “vulnerable”. The micro-projects also need to be sustainable.

IOM Kinshasa provides some returnees with micro grants as part of reintegration support, through bilateral agreements with the returnees’ host countries.

Recently, various financial banking institutions, such as Pro-credit, Finca, Hope-DRC, and Congo African International Bank, have offered access to micro credits, but these are generally loans that have to be repaid.

Details of the financial services of some banks operating in DRC are as follows.

FINCA DR Congo Address in Kinshasa: Sodimca Building, Colonel EBEYA and Maman YEMO avenues, corner of Gombe Commune. Tel.: +243 81 50 97 198 - +243 89 82 22 854, Website: www.villagebanking.org Conditions for receiving credits: • to be Congolese, over 18 years and living in DR Congo; • to have been commercially active for at least two years; • to have a licence permit or an official authorisation.

Credit is a minimum of USD 400 (EUR 270.4) and a maximum of USD 20,000 (EUR 13,520) MUFESAKIN (Mutualité des Sages Femmes de Kinshasa) Address in Kinshasa: Avenue NGUMA N° 5, Jolie Parc Quarter (Kitambo Magasin place) Ngaliema Commune. Tel.: +243 81 512 14 16 Conditions: • to be Congolese, over 18 years and living in DR Congo (or be a NGO) • to be a member of the MUFESAKIN having paid 6,000 Congolese Francs per person, and 12,000 Congolese Francs for NGOs • a maximum of 100,000 Congolese Francs (USD 115 or EUR 77.74) is available for income generating activities initially. This amount can be increased, given evidence of management and reimbursement capacity, with a 4% interest rate per month (48% per year) • credit can be obtained for income generating activities, paying children’s school fees (for a period of 10 months of the school year) and family expenditure.

HOPE DRC Address in Kinshasa: Lumumba’s Boulevard and Huileries avenues, corner opposite to Regideso Building in Gombe Commune. Tel.: +243 81 49 26 793 Conditions: • no individual micro credits are available; • micro credit is given to groups (associations, NGO or church) of 25 to 45 people; • applicants should be Congolese, over 18 years and living in DR Congo • activity should already exist • minimum of USD 80 (EUR 54.08) up to a maximum of USD 3,000 (EUR 2,028) credit is available, depending on creditworthiness, for a period of four months; • The loan is to be reimbursed in 16 instalments and paid every week, starting from the second week after the start of the credit.

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET CTB-BTC Kinshasa Address in Kinshasa: Avenue Colonel Ebeya N° 15, Kinshasa – Gombe.

Website: www.btcctb.org E-mail: Pierre.dulieu@btcctb.org The Belgian Technical Cooperation does not provide micro credit directly to individuals but it funds micro credit projects submitted by local NGOs. VIII. Religion The constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contribute to the generally free practice of religion. In practice, the government largely respects religious freedom.

The population is 50 per cent Roman Catholic, 20 per cent Protestant (including evangelicals), 10 per cent Kimbanguist (a Christian inspired Congolese church) and 10 per cent Muslim. Other religious groups represented in much smaller numbers include Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Orthodox Christians and Jews. The remainder generally practices indigenous religious beliefs. Nearly 90 per cent of the population attends religious services each week.

Most religious groups are scattered throughout the country and are widely represented in cities and large towns. Muslims are mainly concentrated in the provinces of Maniema, Orientale, and Kinshasa. Members of the ethnically based spiritual and political movement Bundu dia Mayala (BDM), formerly Bundia dia Kongo (BDK), predominantly reside in the Bas-Congo Province. After significant persecution in 2008, the organization was forced to change its name and purpose; BDM has not been able to gain official recognition as a political association, although the religious branch of the group continues to meet secretly.

The government regularly consults with Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Kimbanguist, and Orthodox religious groups. The Consortium of Traditional Religious Leaders serves as an informal forum for religious leaders to gather and discuss issues of concern. The government officially recognizes the Church of Christ in Congo, which serves as the umbrella group for Protestant churches.

A statutory order on the Regulation of Non-profit Associations and Public Utilities provides for and regulates the establishment and operation of religious institutions. Requirements for the establishment of a religious organization are simple. The government grants tax exempt status to recognized religious organizations. A law regulating religious organizations grants civil servants the power to recognize, suspend recognition of, or dissolve religious groups. Although the law required officially recognized religious associations to maintain non-profit status and respect the general public order, they can establish places of worship and train clergy.

A 2001 decree allows non-profit organizations, including religious organizations, to operate without restriction, provided they register with the government by submitting a copy of their bylaws and constitution. The government requires religious groups to register; however, in practice unregistered religious groups operate unhindered.

The government requires foreign religious groups to obtain the approval of the president through the minister of justice. Such groups generally operate without restriction once they receive approval.

Religious groups operate many public schools, in which the government allows them to provide religious instruction.

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET IX. Marriage In DRC, the “family” results from a marriage contracted pursuant to article 40 of the Constitution, which grants every individual the right to marry a person of his or her choice, of the opposite sex, and to found a family. The family is the basic unit of the human community and is organized so as to ensure its unity, stability and protection. It is placed under the protection of the public authorities.

Marriage creates the household and the term “household” designates the spouses, their unmarried dependent children and all those persons whom the spouses have an obligation to support, on the condition that those persons live regularly in the conjugal home and are registered in the family record. The husband is the head of the household.

The age for contracting marriage is 18 years for men and 15 years for women. A court may grant age exemptions on serious grounds. The court may issue such a decision at the request of any person who has a legitimate interest. A child, even if emancipated, who has not attained the age required for marriage may not contract marriage without the consent of its father and mother. If either the father or mother is deceased, absent, or not in a position to declare his or her will, or is deprived of parental authority, the consent of the other spouse shall suffice. In the absence of the father and the mother, the child must obtain the consent of its tutor, who must first obtain the opinion of the family council.

X. Healthcare In every large city, there is a general hospital, private clinics and health care centres to provide health care services to the population. Rural areas, by contrast, do not always have these facilities nearby. Even though health care is provided in large cities, it is recommended that certain ailments be treated abroad, since most hospitals do not have the necessary equipment. Often, the equipment has not been updated for several decades.

Ailments ranging from a stroke to head surgery or implants are best treated abroad. Most cases are referred to doctors in South Africa, Belgium or France.

The majority of Congolese cannot afford healthcare or have limited access to it. Health insurance can be obtained from the National Insurance Company (SONAS – Société Nationale d’Assurance). It offers several packages of cover. However, the National Insurance. Company is a private insurance company, which is not affordable for everyone (and not actually much trusted). Across the country, hospitals are in a state of decay and neglect. Doctors and nurses are rarely paid. Most state hospitals are operating under a system of self-financing, requiring patients to pay for treatment and medicines. Appropriate and timely healthcare provision remains a challenge in the vast country. Although there has been a marked reduction in contagious diseases such as measles and diarrhoea during the various wars in the Congo, more than 50 per cent of deaths in the east and west are due to preventable and easily treatable diseases.

Treatment is cheaper in public than in private hospitals. However, it is not easy to access them because of the general poverty in the country. Patients are transferred to a higher medical level for serious health problems. Opening a consultation file and consulting with a physician costs about USD 5 (EUR 3.38) to USD 20 (EUR 13.52).

Patients should go to: • A small health post, such as a dispensary or a medical centre, for minor health problems; • A health centre for both minor and serious health problems; • A general hospital or specialised centre for minor, serious or special health problems; 14

COUNTRY FACT SHEET • A clinic for serious, special or complicated health problems.

1. Medicines Medicines for the treatment of some diseases (tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, children’s diseases, HIV) are available in small health posts and health centres in each Commune (administrative area) in Kinshasa and in each administrative sector in the regions.

There is one general hospital and a specialised centre in the big towns as well as in the administrative territories of the regions. There are also some clinics (public and private) in Kinshasa.

2. Treatment for HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS has become a daily reality for everybody in the DRC. However, due to the traditionalist habits of society, discussion of the disease remains taboo. In many parts of Africa, sex is still a hidden issue, which parents cannot speak about with their children. In the churches, the subject is still regarded as taboo, even though some pastors and priests themselves suffer from AIDS and die from it. Countrywide statistics reveal that 4.5% of the adult population (15 to 49 years old) is HIV positive, although the prevalence of HIV varies between different regions of the country.

The rate of HIV/AIDS in the DRC is increasing. The increase has been enhanced by the recent civil war, which caused people to be displaced both inside and outside the country.

The economic poverty and social misery of families has pushed women and young girls into prostitution (frequently to support their families), further increasing the risk of infection.

Victims of HIV/AIDS are found in all parts of the country. Widows and orphans of people who have died of AIDS can be found in miserable situations.

People in hospitals suffering from AIDS are so numerous that the government, with the support of international organisations and UN agencies, has created a national board (Programme National Multisectoriel de Lutte Contre le SIDA – http://www.pnmls.cd). The board was created by Presidential decree number 04/029 on 17 March 2004 and its task is the prevention of new cases and the treatment of persons suffering from HIV/AIDS. The government has also encouraged NGOs to become involved in the issue.

People who suffer from HIV/AIDS, and most of their close relatives (husband, wife and children), are partially or completely taken in charge by support organisations for treatment, food support and sometimes also housing assistance. Campaigns of information dissemination are organised in the country for parents, children and soldiers, as well as in churches.

Numerous initiatives aimed at the prevention of HIV/AIDS are ongoing, such as campaigns for increasing awareness about the use of condoms.

A HIV blood test can be obtained at a low cost or free of charge since many medical institutions are sponsored by the AIDS National Programme and receive help from international aid. There are many hospitals and medical centres in the country, at which HIV tests can be carried out. In Kinshasa, apart from the National Institute of Bio-Medical Research (INRB) and the Ngaliema Clinic, other centres that offer blood tests include: Centre de Victoire 61, Avenue Victoire

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire (CTA) Avenue Kabinda – in the compound of the Tubercolosis Test Centre (Centre de Depistage de la Tuberculose – CDT), in front of Radio Nationale.

CSAC AMOCONGO 12 Avenue ASSOSSA, Quartier Salongo / Kasa-Vubu.

AMOCONGO N´djili, 12 Rue Londo, Quartier 9, Commune de N´djili.

Femme Plus 112 Rue Lokelenge / Ngiri-Ngiri et sur 70 Avenue Muanza Commune de Kisenso.

Laboratoire National de Référence Pavillon 11 Hospital Général de Kinshasa.

Check Up Pour Tous Avenue de la Montagne, Commune de Ngaliema The follow-up to HIV/AIDS treatment can be divided into different types. A medical follow-up is carried out in 20% of all cases in the country and in 80% of cases in Kinshasa. Treatment against opportunistic infections and anti-retroviral treatment may be available. Both are free of charge. The patient can also be treated with a prophylaxis, using Cotrimoxazol.

This treatment can be initiated before anti-retroviral treatment is started, or be used as a complementary treatment during the anti-retroviral treatment.

Several hospitals and clinics in the private sector, as well as in the public sector, offer HIV/ AIDS treatment in Kinshasa, such as: o Kinshasa General Clinic; o University Clinic; o Ngaliema Clinic; o Kitambo Clinic; o Bondeko Clinic; o Yolo Medical Clinic; o Saint Joseph Hospital; o Nganda Centre; o Kinshasa Medical Centre; o N’djili Hospital; o Marie Biamba Mutombo Clinic; o Gombele Medical Clinic; o Roi Baudouin Clinic.

There are also NGOs, which provide the same assistance, such as Action Communautaire Sida (ACS) and AMOCONGO (http://www.acs-amocongo.njno.info/index.php).

HIV/AIDS treatment is also generally available outside Kinshasa, including the provision of anti-retroviral medications. The treatment is free. However, some patients do pay for treatment when they can afford it. Often, they do so to avoid hospitals using free medicines.

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET A psychological follow up is carried out by NGOs: o AMOCONGO, Coins de avenues de l´Enseignement et des Huileries, Commune de Kasa-Vubu o Fondation Femme Plus, Mme Bernadette Mulebwe, Directice Nationale: 09999 11162 o ALPI, Apostolat pour la Libération des Personnes Infectées, Mme Docteur Numbi,m Directice Nationale, Avenue de I´OUE, Commune de Kitambo, Kinshasa o Programme National de Lutte contre le SIDA (PNLS/CPCDV), Dr Darius Makela, Avenue de Huileries, Kinshasa.

A complete follow up for patients costs from USD 30 (EUR 20.28) to USD 50 (EUR 33.80) per month.

3. Mental diseases Mental health is a part of the primary health care system. Actual treatment of severe mental disorders is available at the primary level. Mental health is being included in the primary health care and process charts are being defined for mental disorders. Regular training of primary care professionals is carried out in the field of mental health. The government also partially supports some charitable organizations like the Soins de Santé Mentale (SOSAME) that provide mental health services. There are no community care facilities for patients with mental disorders. There is one mental health care centre.

The most widespread mental illnesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo are states of agitation of infectious origin (especially the neuropsychiatric consequences of these diseases), schizophrenia and illnesses connected with drug addiction. Mental diseases can generally be taken care of in Kinshasa. This is particularly the case with depression, war traumas, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and schizophrenia.

For essentially cultural reasons, the Congolese do not as a rule consult specialists in the field of psychiatry. If a person shows mood or personality disorder problems, his relations will firstly believe that he is the victim of a spell and that someone is trying to harm the family. The first reaction is to practice sorcery or prayer to overcome the spell. It is only as a last recourse that the Congolese will consult a psychiatrist.

In this field, public facilities are rare and those that exist are dilapidated. This is especially the case with the principal psychiatric unit in Kinshasa, the Neuro Psycho-Pathological Centre (CNPP) of Mount Amba. At the present time, the hospital provides the initial consultation, diagnosis and therapy free of charge. The rest is chargeable to the patients and their families (specific treatments, medicines, food, bed linen, etc). Hospitalisation tax varies from 1,000 FC (USD 3.50) to 6,000 FC (USD 20), according to the patient’s financial means.

In Kinshasa, there is also a small centre specialising in neuropsychiatry, called the Kakuambi Centre. Some other hospitals, clinics and medical centres (such as the Dr. Lelo Medical Centre) offer, along with general medicine, some beds for psychiatric and psychological treatment. The CNPP in Kinkole (Bas-Congo), for its part, has been transformed into a general hospital.

XI. Social system There is ongoing social reform, the result of which will be a unique social structure within the framework of the National Social Security Institute. However, the beneficiaries are 17

COUNTRY FACT SHEET employees in the formal system only. Almost 80% of the population will not have access to these services. In addition, because of the centralised administration and lack of private competition, the services provided are very basic.

Pensions are not common in the DRC. On paper, Congolese government officials are offered access to pension plans. Larger companies used to pay pensions to retired workers, but the social security scheme is now ineffective and mainly offers advisory services.

For people returning from abroad, pensions can be channelled through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, provided that some arrangement or agreement is made before return. The Ministry can also be contacted for specialised advice on mechanisms and structures for channelling pension funds. However, there is no pension or financial assistance specifically for returnees, nor are there employment projects for returnees.

Medical care is only available in the case of occupational accidents or professional illness.

Nothing is provided for maternity leave or non-occupational accidents or illness.

Disability at Work covers compensation for occupational accidents.

Child benefits are the only family benefits to be covered. The on-going reform also envisages other types of benefits, such as maternity, education, accommodation, but it remains to be seen how this will be implemented in practice.

There is no unemployment assistance or support, apart from the National Office of Employment and Labour, which may assist with job applications. Due to the living conditions, war and economic conditions, single parent families are very common in the DRC, with single mother parenting being the predominant type. No institutional assistance is provided, and single parents very often have to rely on the support of the community.

XII. Citizenship Citizenship is based upon the Congolese Civil Code and the Special Law on Congolese Nationality. Citizenship can be given to a person under the following conditions: o Birth within the territory of DRC does not automatically confer citizenship. o Child of a Congolese parent, regardless of the child’s country of birth.

Citizenship may be granted by registration for the following persons: o Foreign woman who has been, or is, married to a citizen of DRC. o Foreign child adopted by citizens of DRC. Congolese citizenship may be acquired upon fulfilment of the following condition: o Person has legally resided in the country for at least five years.

Dual citizenship is not allowed in DRC. An exception is made for children born abroad, who obtain the citizenship of the country of birth. They may retain dual citizenship until their 21st birthday. The person then has 12 months to renounce foreign citizenship or the Congolese citizenship will be revoked.

You can lose the citizenship in DRC: o VOLUNTARY: Voluntary renunciation of Congolese citizenship is permitted by law.

Though the Embassy can provide information and assistance, the person seeking to renounce citizenship must return to DRC and present their case to a court of law.

Due to this procedure, renunciation is neither automatic nor guaranteed. o INVOLUNTARY: The following is grounds for involuntary loss of Congolese 18

COUNTRY FACT SHEET citizenship: Person voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship and is not covered by the dual citizenship exception listed above.

1. Passports The DRC issues three types of passports: o regular passport, o duty passport o diplomatic passport.

Passports are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Ministère des Affaires étrangères et de la coopération internationale).

The regular passport is dark blue and issued to all Congolese citizens who apply for one.

Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is based in Kinshasa, Congolese citizens who want to obtain a regular passport must either go to Kinshasa themselves or authorize a friend or relative there to act on their behalf. All applications must include a duly completed passport application form, a certificate of nationality, four passport-size photographs (sometimes two are sufficient) of the applicant, and USD 50.

The passports are signed by ministry employees. A regular passport is valid for three years but can be extended.

The duty passport is green and issued to government employees on assignment. This type of passport is free, but to obtain one the applicant must be a government employee or an officer of a public corporation. The applicant must also have an official travel order signed by a minister or deputy minister. In the case of a military officer, the travel order is signed by the Minister of Defence or his or her deputy minister. In the case of government employees working in the office of the president of the DRC, the travel order is signed by the president’s chief of staff or his or her assistant.

The diplomatic passport is red and issued to members of the government and their families, to government employees with the rank of minister and their families, and to diplomats and their families. The diplomatic passport is issued upon presentation of a certificate of appointment (order from the head of state).

XIII. Telecommunications and Postal Services The state-owned National Mail and Telephone Office (OCPT) faces competition from private companies, in both the postal and telecommunications sectors. Many people prefer to use the services offered by private companies since the OCPT is generally thought to function poorly. Over the last couple of years, the mobile phone services provided by a variety of private companies have virtually replaced OCPT. Post There are many companies, both state and privately owned, that offer postal services (to areas where access is possible). These companies include the National Mail and Telephone Office (OCPT), DHL, Kin Service Express and other local agencies. However, it is reported that the state-owned OCPT is not operating properly, and due to this, it has few clients these days.

The Phone System The country code for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is +243. There are no prefixes in place for the regions. The national landline telecommunications network of OCPT has deteriorated badly and has been overtaken by the expansion of mobile phones. GSM mobile phone providers have virtually replaced the state-owned telecommunications 19

COUNTRY FACT SHEET company, ensuring access for people all over the country to both domestic and international telecommunications. Therefore, landline telecommunication systems exist with a very limited function but the preferred telecommunications option amongst the general public is mobile phones or the Internet. This also means that the use of fax in the DRC is very limited.

Mobile phone services are offered by privately owned companies such as Vodacom, Zain (which has recently replaced Celtel), Standard Telecom, Sait-Telecom, Congo-Chine Telecom, and Starcel. All the main cities are covered by mobile phone companies.

Internet Internet connections are available in the country’s bigger cities. There are many Internet providers, such as Vodanet–Microcom, Cyber Net, Standard Télécom, Iburst Africa/DRC, Comax. The connection charge ranges from USD 450 (EUR 304.20) to USD 1,000 (EUR 676) and the monthly cost is from USD 100 (EUR 67.60) to USD 300 (202.80) according to the subscriber’s needs. A prepaid option is also available. A monthly Internet subscription costs approximately USD 20 (EUR 13.52) but cheaper options can also be found. One hour in an Internet café costs around USD 2 (EUR 1.35).

XIV. Media There are several daily newspapers and many more sporadic publications. In addition, there are dozens of private TV stations and more than 100 private radio stations, some of which broadcast news.

Print media Major newspapers are only nominally privately owned. Journalists must be members of the state-controlled union to practise their profession. At present, the press is firmly under MPR control.

The majority of print press publications are in French, an official language of the country.

Despite their ambitions of national news coverage, it is difficult for these publications to attain broad coverage, both due to challenges in gathering information, and in physically distributing the publications. Many journalists are therefore tied to a city or a region, essentially Kinshasa.

Several daily newspapers are published, of which the majority have a pro-government bias. Some newspapers are published irregularly.

Radio Radio is the dominant medium. There are a handful of stations, including the state-run Radio-Television Nationale Congolaise (RTNC), that are broadcast across the country. The UN-backed Radio Okapi, private Raga FM and Top Congo FM are other well-known radio stations in DRC. The UN Mission in DR Congo (Monuc) and a Swiss-based organisation, Fondation Hirondelle, launched Radio Okapi in 2002. The network’s mostly-Congolese staff broadcast news, music and information about Monuc. It aims to promote dialogue across the political divide and has become one of the country’s leading radio stations.

The BBC is available on FM in Kinshasa (92.6), Lubumbashi (92.0) and Kisangani (92.0).

Listeners in the capital can hear Radio France Internationale broadcasts from neighbouring Brazzaville.

Various religious groups have their own radio stations. These include: Radio Maria, a Catholic station operating primarily in Bukavu; and the Islamic community broadcasting 20

COUNTRY FACT SHEET “The Voice of Africa” in Kinshasa and Kikwit.

TV Three TV channels have near-national coverage. Radio-Television Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) is a state-run terrestrial and satellite TV with near-national coverage. Other TV channels with near-national coverage are Digital Congo and Raga TV. Internet Congolese content on the Internet remains weak because of several difficulties, one of them being the lack of implementation of the national information and communications technology strategy. Very few newspapers are published online and, as for audiovisual media, only Congolese national television can be followed online.

XV. Transportation A large part of the DRC road network is in poor condition. Therefore, accessing remote areas remains very difficult due to the lack of transport.

By Road Most of the road network in the DRC is in a poor condition. Due to this, land transport is a problem: there are practically no roads that connect one city to another. Trips can take weeks or months to cover relatively small distances. The rural road system was built primarily to connect agricultural and mineral producing areas to the river and rail networks.

Major highways in western DRC link Kinshasa to Boma via Matadi, Kinshasa to Kikwit and, in the southeast, link the mining centres in Kolwezi and Lubumbashi in Katanga to northern Zambia. Most roads have deteriorated considerably and many others that run through the lowlands are impassable. A suspension bridge across the river Congo has improved links between the western part of Bas-Congo and the rest of the country.

The governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo have, for years, agreed in principle to build a bridge across the Congo river between their respective capital cities, Kinshasa and Brazzaville.

In Kinshasa: o The cost of one way travel is USD 0.25 (EUR 0.169) by bus and USD 0.50 (EUR o 0.338) for a shared taxi; o The cost of using a parked taxi (normal taxi) is USD 5 (EUR 3.38) to USD 10 (EUR 6.76) one-way and USD 15 (EUR 10.14) per hour. Parked taxis can be found at the Airport or at Luxury Hotels; o Cars can also be rented at Euro Car, AVIS and others car rental companies for USD 100 (EUR 67.60) a day with a driver and USD 80 (EUR 54.08) without a driver.

Two public transport companies, Société de Transport Urbain au Congo (STUC) and City Train, are restarting in Kinshasa and in other major cities with new buses. There are small private societies that provide public transport between Kinshasa and Matadi for about USD 30 (EUR 20.28) for a taxi and USD 15 (EUR 10.14) for a bus, between Kinshasa and Boma/Muanda for USD 45 (EUR 30.42), and, recently, between Kinshasa and Kikwit (in Bandundu Province) for about USD 25 (EUR 16.90) for a bus and USD 60 (EUR 40.56) for a jeep taxi.

By Rail The total mileage of railways is just over 4,000 km. Railways only connect some cities.

Five major railway systems exist in the DRC. However, since the mid-1970s, deteriorating 21

COUNTRY FACT SHEET track, old rolling stock, and a shortage of spare parts and fuel have caused constant problems for the railways. The trains are mostly in such a precarious condition that people fear to put their lives at risk by using this mode of transport.

The oldest train lines link the ocean port of Matadi with Kinshasa. The longest line, which runs Ilebo-Dilolo-Lubumbashi, connects the mining area of the southern Katanga Region with the port of Ilebo on the Kansai River and ultimately runs to Kinshasa by the Kasai and Congo rivers.

There are other minor rail systems in northeast Congo. The 140 km Mayumbe railway in Bas-Congo links the ocean port of Boma to the agricultural area of Tshiela and Cabinda.

The cost of travel ranges from USD 10 (EUR 6.76) to USD 35 (EUR 23.66), depending on the train line and distance travelled.

By Boat The ferry between Kinshasa and Brazzaville still exists and runs with five daily rotations.

The fare is approximately USD 25 (EUR 16.90) one way. From Goma to Bukavu by boat is about USD 40 (EUR 27.04).

Air Travel There are 198 airports (26 with paved runways) in DRC. The major international airport is N´Djili in Kinshasa (airport code FIH), which is served regularly by a number of international airlines throughout Africa and runs direct flights to Europe and Asia. Air transport is smoother than any other mode, but since the country has different administrations, the ability to travel to troubled areas (war zones such as North Goma and Bunia) is highly restricted.

Private carriers and small charter companies support air travel within the DRC. Loano in Lubumbashi is also an international airport (airport code FBM). Approved international airline companies include SN Brussels Airlines, Air France, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airways, and South African Airlines. Inside the country, only the Hewa Bora airline is recommended. Many DRC airlines are presently banned from landing at EU airports for security reasons.

Transport for Vulnerable Cases No special means of transport for vulnerable cases exists in the DRC. However, people living with a major handicap (deaf, mute, blind or crippled) do not pay on public transport, except for taxis.

XVI. Housing There are not many proper estate agencies in the DRC, which makes it impossible to obtain trustworthy information on the availability of housing, rents, property being sold, etc.

People who have the money and the opportunity often buy a piece of land on which they build a house for themselves.

So-called commissioners (commissionaires) operate in the DRC. The commissioners are like mobile estate agencies. They have a list of places recorded on paper and sit at a corner of a street with their boards. They can be useful in finding places of all sorts: houses, shops, flats, etc. Their reliability is variable.

Once a prospective tenant or purchaser has expressed interest in a place, the commissioners take them to look at it. The commissioners play an important role in assisting people with finding a house in Kinshasa because they are in contact with the owners. They charge 22

COUNTRY FACT SHEET 10% of the purchase price or the monthly rent.

The rent varies according to the location of the property. Generally, in Kinshasa, before renting, a person needs to guarantee his or her ability to pay six months’ rent, pay three months’ rent in advance and pay one month of rent as commission. The price examples cited below need to be multiplied by two or three for luxury compounds.

Examples of rents (July 2008): • USD 50 (EUR 33.80) to USD 100 (EUR 67.60) per month for a one-bedroomed apartment including dining room, kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

• USD 100 (EUR 67.60) to USD 200 (EUR 135.20) per month for a two-bedroomed apartment including dining room, kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

• USD 250 (EUR 168) to USD 500 (EUR 338) or USD 1,000 (EUR 676) per month for a three-bedroomed apartment including dining room, kitchen, bathroom and toilet.

Apartments and houses are not furnished. The cost of accommodation in a hotel ranges from USD 50 (EUR 33.80) up to USD 150 (EUR 101.40) per night, not including meals. As with the price of rent for private housing, the rent of housing for business purposes varies according to the location of the property.

All disputes about property, prices and rents are handled and judged by the District Attorney of the Court of First Instance in the area of the property.

1. Buying Property There are no administrative obstacles to buying and selling land in the DRC, but a great deal of caution should be exercised in buying property. There are reported cases of people who have bought property that has been sold to two or more other buyers.

The procedures for property purchase are different for land and house purchases.

Buying Land • Obtain a purchase certificate (usually delivered by the customary chief of the area).

• Place the contract at the cadastral office (land registry office).

• Secure a valuation.

• The registration certificate will be handed out three years after the construction of the building. It is definitive proof of ownership.

Buying a House • Obtain a purchase certificate (provided by the seller).

• Obtain an estate certificate for ownership transfer (provided at the town hall).

• Pay taxes (paid at municipality and at cadastral offices).

XVII. Education Public education is guaranteed for both boys and girls but is not free. Parents must pay a tuition fee, which forms a practical obstacle to some families enrolling their children in school. Some families prioritise the schooling of boys over girls, who are often assigned domestic responsibilities instead.

1. Access to Primary School, High School and University The school system has a total of twelve grades. Grades one to six are at the primary level (primaires) and seven to twelve are in secondary/high school (secondaires). The tuition fee is usually between USD 10 (EUR 6.76) and USD 300 (EUR 202.80) per trimester, depending on the reputation of the school in question.

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The administration of the education system is centralised, with the Ministry of Education taking responsibility for overall control.

There are universities, both private and public, all over the country. There are many universities, mostly in the bigger cities, and they offer a wide range of courses and degrees at undergraduate and graduate level. Most people prefer to go overseas for doctoral studies and post-doctoral research. All foreign diplomas are validated by the Ministry of Education. They take account of UNESCO’s report on worldwide education.

2. Vocational Training The Minister of Labour and Social Protection is very active in promoting vocational training, and the Government has made noticeable efforts in this respect since its appointment.

However, vocational programmes remain the initiative of local NGOs and international partners in the country, such as ILO, UNDP and IOM. Training is mainly intended to provide students with a basic knowledge of traditional occupations such as mechanics, electronics, electrics, secretarial skills, computer skills, dressmaking, hair and beauty courses, driving, carpentry, brick making and shoemaking.

No scholarships or grants are available. People must pay for these training courses from their own means, or with the help of NGOs or church associations.

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COUNTRY FACT SHEET XVIII. Useful Links Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo CIA - The World Factbook www.cia.gov U.S.Department of State www.state.gov BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/democratic-republic-of-congo NationMaster http://www.nationmaster.com Social Security Online http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/ International Finance Corporation http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/congo,-dem~-rep~ Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/africa/democratic-republic-congo International Criminal Court http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC/Situations+and+Cases/Situations/Situation+ICC+0104/ IRIN – Humanitarian News and Analysis http://www.irinnews.org/country.aspx?country=CD Doctors Without Borders http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/allcontent.cfm?id=22 World Food Program http://www.wfp.org/countries/congo-democratic-republic Embassy of the United States in Congo http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/ Nations Online http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/congo_droc.htm MONUSCO - United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo http://monusco.unmissions.org/ President of the Democratic Republic of Congo http://www.presidentrdc.cd/accueil.html European Union External Action http://eeas.europa.eu/congo_kinshasa/index_en.htm The Library of Congress http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/zrtoc.html National Office of Employment and Labour www.onemocongo.org

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