In the News Recently

The Economist has regular coverage on DR Congo about a variety of issues. Here's a rundown of recent articles in their publication.

Elephants in Congo. "2,900 elephants roamed Virunga when Congo became independent in 1960, 400 in 2006, and fewer than 200 today."

Congo and Rwanda continue to flirt with war along their volatile border.

"There is Hope" for sub-Saharan Africa, including DR Congo, according to one article. Another article takes a more in-depth look at the complexities of government, resources, and financial investment in sub-Saharan Africa.

It reinforces something I learned while visiting Congo: "Money doesn't solve problems. People solve problems." From the article: "...despite—or perhaps because of—Nigeria’s massive oil wealth, several of the country’s civil institutions, together with human rights and the rule of law, have all withered in the past few years. " In broad terms, as I understand it, this is called "Dutch disease," a term I heard used in Congo and coined by this publication back in 1977.

This article closes by discussing "good-news countries" like Ghana, which found oil on the coast in 2007. And they seem to be seeking wise counsel. Yet, there is another kind of wisdom and another kind of good news that must permeate the hearts of Africa's leaders and people before we can agree "there is hope."