There have been four national elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since our nation achieved independence. But only this last, held December 20-22, 2023 produced a truly democratic outcome. That is why I would contend that the DRC is just crossing the threshold of its democratic journey. That journey, complex and in many ways unprecedented in Sub-Saharan Africa, will have serious implications for our relationship with the rest of the World.
Without question, President Tshisekedi, who was elected for his second term with more than two-thirds of those voting, is seeking a staunch commitment from the other democracies to actively assist in securing the blessing of free and fair elections for those who will come after him. The DRC's political institutions are still immature and require nurturing from the more seasoned institutions in the older democracies.
One of the most obvious challenges faced by a democratic DRC is the vastness of its geography. Roughly three-quarters the size of the United States, the reach of the Government is limited by serious infrastructural deficiencies, a lack of adequate roads, and limited access to electrical power for the majority of Congolese. Instead of 50 "capitals" sharing responsibility for the delivery of basic services, everything must be delivered to the people from a still insouciant government in Kinshasa.
To overcome these hurdles and fortify its democratic foundation, the DRC seeks holistic international support, and unambiguous leadership from the United States in coordinating donor assistance. The US's approach should be measured and forward thinking and refrain from punitive measures when other nondemocratic regimes demand participation in the Congo's development and then bring with them different approaches to labor rights and business law.
Continuing current methods of coercion risks relegating the DRC to a long-term, but unwanted dependence on authoritarian powers. A case in point is the outcome of a mining deal negotiated during the presidency of Joseph Kabila, leading the DRC to enter into an agreement with the Government of China. Left with no option, the DRC forfeited control over substantial reserves of essential minerals critically needed by the largest industrialized nations.
It could have been predicted, that under Chinese ownership, the DRC mining sector would become a pariah internationally because of child labor violations in the PRC-controlled mines. Despite the Government's sincere efforts, including expanding access to free education and the establishment of a new labor agency, the problem persists.
Ending child labor in the mining sector is also closely tied to ending the incursion of foreign-controlled militias in the east of the Congo. Atrocities by these invading terrorists, such as the M23, compel the region's young war orphans to either work in the local mines, or be recruited by the insurgents. Faced with the brutal reality, a 12-year-old living in the eastern DRC becomes his family's breadwinner.
A decisive framework for peace and disarmament in the eastern region is imperative to eradicate child labor.
Peace will also afford the DRC the freedom to firmly take control of its natural resources. Possessing one of the largest carbon sinks on the planet, the DRC can offer the World an environmental "win" as large as anything that has been achieved to date. And that makes peace in the DRC a global imperative.
The DRC's election this past December may not have been as smoothly conducted as an election in Switzerland or Singapore. But nothwithstanding its imperfections, it was, nevertheless, a sea change when compared to the previous elections. The electoral process was conducted with a notable degree of fairness, providing citizens with a genuine opportunity to actively engage in shaping the future of their nation.
