Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

State Fragility and Capacity Building in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of the Democratic Republic of Congo

  • Chapter
State Fragility and State Building in Africa

Part of the book series: United Nations University Series on Regionalism ((UNSR,volume 10))

  • 887 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter examines the nature and dynamics of state fragility and post-conflict capacity building efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), focusing on key issues relevant to socioeconomic development. The analysis uses existing literature to explore the causes of fragility in the country and to document the crucial role played by the civil society in tackling some of the post-conflict challenges that the state cannot adequately address. The discussion of the drivers of state fragility details how weak local and national governance structures, protracted civil war and ethnic strife, and the failure to build a national consciousness are exacerbating the problem of state fragility. The chapter explores how the civil society has stepped in to provide badly needed services by initiating and supporting capacity building projects in the country. It is argued that given the current challenges facing the state, civil society organizations will continue to be key players in peace building and provision of essential services to the people of the DRC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alberti, K. P., Grellety, E., Lin, Y., Polonsky, J., Coppens, K., Encinas, L., Rodrigue, M., Pedalino, B., & Mondonge, V. (2010). Violence against civilians and access to health care in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo: Three cross-sectional surveys. Conflict and Health, 4, 17. http://www.conflictandhealth.com/content/4/1/17. Accessed 20 Jan 2012.

  • Autesserre, S. (2010). The trouble with the Congo: Local violence and the failure of international peace building. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bardhan, P. (1997). Corruption and development: A review of issues. Journal of Economic Literature, 35, 1320–1346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrios, C. (2010a). Assessing democracy assistance: Democratic Republic of the Congo. London: FRIDE & DFID. Retrieved from http://fride.org/download/IP_WMD_Congo_ENG_jul10.pdf.

  • Barrios, C. (2010b). The people in charge: Civil society and state building in the Democratic Republic of Congo. IDEAS Today, 2(10), 6–10. Retrieved July 8, 2015, from http://www2.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/ideasToday/02_Congo.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bavier, J. (2007). Congo war-driven crisis kills 45,000 a month: Study. Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL22802012120080122. Accessed 27 Aug 2011.

  • Bender, L. (2010). Innovations in emergency education: The IRC in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Background paper prepared for the education for all global monitoring report 2011. Paris: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bosmans, M. (2007). Challenges in aid to rape victims: The case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Essex Human Rights Review, 4(1), 1–12.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Brinkerhoff, D. W. (2007). Capacity development in fragile states. International Public Management with Research Triangle Institute, RTI International, UK, Mimeograph. Retrieved from www.rutgerscps.org/docs/RiskFactorsOfFragileStates_RTM

  • Church, W. (2011). DR Congo: Corruption hinders development. American Chronicle. http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/printFriendly/16533. Accessed 11 Aug 2011.

  • CIA. (2011). Democratic Republic of the Congo. CIA-The World FactBook. http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html. Accessed 25 July 2011.

  • Clark, J. F. (1997). The nature and evolution of the state in Zaire. Studies in Comparative International Development, 32(4), 3–23.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, J. F. (1998). Zaire: The bankruptcy of the extraction state. In L. A. Villalon & P. A. Huxtable (Eds.), The African state at a critical juncture: Between disintegration and reconfiguration (pp. 109–125). Boulder: Lynne Rienner.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, P. T., Vallacher, R. R., Nowak, A., & Bui-Wrzosinska, L. (2007). Intractable conflict as an attractor: A dynamical systems approach to conflict escalation and intractability. American Behavioral Scientist, 50(11), 1454–1475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Villers, G., & Tshonda, J. O. (2002). An intransitive transition. Review of African Political Economy, 29(93/94), 399–410.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DFID. (2008). Democratic Republic of Congo: Country plan. London: Department for International Development.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dijkzeul, D. (2003). Healing governance? Four health NGOs in war-torn Eastern Congo. Journal of International Affairs, 57(1), 183–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowst, M. (2009). Working with civil society in fragile states (Policy briefing paper, Vol. 23). Oxford: International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC).

    Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, M. (2011). Democratic Republic of Congo: Country profile. BBC Mobile News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1076399.htm. Accessed 17 Aug 2011.

  • Duroch, F., McRae, M., & Grais, R. F. (2011). Description and consequences of sexual violence in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo. BMC International Health and Human Rights, 11, 5. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698x/11/5. Accessed 20 Jan 2012.

  • ECI. (2012). Democratic Republic of Congo 2011 Presidential elections. Eastern Congo Initiative’s final report. Seattle: Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI).

    Google Scholar 

  • EDC. (2009). EDC extends support for education in Democratic Republic of Congo. Education Development Center. http://www.edc.org/newsroom/press_releases/edc_extends_support_education_democratic_republic_congo. Accessed 30 Apr 2012.

  • Englebert, P. (2002). A research note on Congo’s nationalist paradox. Review of African Political Economy, 29(93/94), 591–594. doi:10.1080/03056240208704641. Retreived from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03056240208704641#.VZu2ezOJhjo.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Englebert, P. (2003). Why Congo persists: Sovereignty, globalization and the violent reproduction of a weak state. Queen Elizabeth House Carnegie Project, Working paper No. 95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Englebert, P. (2012). The Democratic Republic of Congo: Fault lines and local fissures. In H. Jeffrey, T. McNamee, & G. Mills (Eds.), On the fault line: Managing tensions and divisions within societies (pp. 33–44). London: Profile Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, P. (1995). Embedded autonomy: States and industrial transformation. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fall, B. (2007). ICT in education in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Survey of ICT and education in Africa 2(53) Country reports. Washington, DC: infoDev & World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, J. (2011). Tackling the tin wars in DR Congo. Mineral Economics, 24, 45–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujita, N., Zwi, A. B., Nagai, M., & Akashi, H. (2011). A comprehensive framework for human resources for health system development in fragile and post-conflict states. PLoS Medicine, 8(12), e1001146. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001146.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gjerstad, L. (2007). Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Global Information Society Watch. http://www.alternatives.ca. Accessed 19 July 2011.

  • Goldsmith, A. A. (1999). Slapping the grasping hand: Correlates of political corruption in emerging markets. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 58, 865–883.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grega, P., Garbarino, S., Mata, G. T., & Eggen, M. (2008). Citizens’ voice and accountability: Democratic Republic of Congo country case study. Final Report. Walham: Federal Public Department for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Cooperation for Development (Belgium) & Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Guest, R. (2004). The shackled continent: Africa’s present and future. London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Human Rights Watch. (2009). Protecting child victims of sexual violence trials in the DR Congo: Suggestions for the way forward. Human Rights Watch. http://www.hrw.org. Accessed 15 Oct 2012.

  • Human Rights Watch. (2012). World report 2012: Democratic Republic of Congo. Country Summary. http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-democratic-republic-congo. Accessed 31 Jan 2012.

  • IMA World Health. (2010). Democratic Republic of Congo. http://www.interchurch.org/where-we-work/democratic-republic-of-congo.html. Accessed 24 July 2012.

  • IPIS. (2007). Donor engagement in fragile states. IPIS/Fatal transactions background paper. Amsterdam: International Peace Information Service & Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • IRC. (2012). International rescue committee in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Annual report 2011. http://www.rescue.org. Accessed 22 Sept 2012.

  • IRIN. (2011). DRC: Millions miss out on basic education. http://www.irinnews.org/printreport.aspx?reportid=94196. Accessed 30 Apr 2012.

  • ISS. (2009). Reconstructing fragility? The post-conflict state in the DRC. Seminar report compiled by Line Risch, EGMONT- Royal Institute for International Relations and the Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria Kloofzicht Lodge, Muldersdrift-Johannesburg. http://www.issafrica.org/…/24_25AugReconstructingFragility.pdf. Accessed 16 Aug 2011.

  • Issaka, M., & Bushoki, B. (2005). Civil society and the democratic transitions in the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda. New York: International Peace Academy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabemba, C. (2004). Perspectives on the role of key stakeholders in the DRC’s political transition. EISA occasional paper No. 26. Auckland Park: The Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Khadiagala, G. M. (2008). Eastern Africa: Security and the legacy of fragility (Africa Program Working Paper Series). New York: International Peace Institute. Retreived from http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/8A90EB1768ABA91EC12574F3004BF217-Full_Report.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kodi, M. (2008). Corruption and governance in the DRC during the transition period (2003–2006). ISS monograph series, No. 148, Institute for Security Studies. Tshwane/Cape Town: Tandym Print.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larmer, M., Laudati, A., & Clark, J. F. (2013). Neither war nor peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Profiting and coping amid violence and disorder. Review of African Political Economy, 40(135), 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemarchand, R. (2000). Exclusion, marginalization and political mobilization: The road to hell in the Great Lakes. Occasional paper – Centre of African Studies, University of Copenhagen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mani, K. (2007). Militaries in business: State-making and entrepreneurship in the developing world. Armed Forces and Society, 33(4), 591–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Migdal, J. S. (1988). Strong societies and weak states: State-society relations and state capabilities in the Third World. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mock, N., de Buhr, E., Mukungo, M., & Wemakoy, O. (2006). Public health training in the Democratic Republic of Congo: A case study of the Kinshasa School of Public Health. USAID & Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. http://www.jhsph.edu/research/affiliated-programs/global-research-activity/Congo.pdf. Accessed 24 July 2012.

  • MSF. (2005). Access to healthcare, mortality and violence in Democratic Republic of the Congo: Results of five epidemiological surveys. Brussels: Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF).

    Google Scholar 

  • Naniuzeyi, M. E. (1999). The state of the state in Congo-Zaire: A survey of the Mobutu regime. Journal of Black Studies, 29(5), 669–683.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nest, M. (2002). The evolution of a fragmented state: The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Working paper 1. New York: International Center for Advanced Studies, New York University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nzongola-Ntalaja, G. (2004). From Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Current African issues, Vol. 28). Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet.

    Google Scholar 

  • OCHA. (2011). Humanitarian action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Weekly Bulletin, 28 Oct 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa. (2009). The Democratic Republic of Congo: Effective delivery of public services in the education sector. A discussion paper. Johannesburg: Open Society Initiative of Southern Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osabu-Kle, D. T. (2000). The politics of one-sided adjustment in Africa. Journal of Black Studies, 30(4), 515–533.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, N. (2011). Case study: Democratic Republic of the Congo. DFID, Practical Action Consulting, Save the Children, and CfBT Education Trust.

    Google Scholar 

  • PRB. (2014). 2014 world population data sheet. Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prunier, G. (2001). The Catholic Church and the Kivu conflict, DRC. Journal of Religion in Africa, 31(2), 139–162. Retrieved from http://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=238213862&DB=p.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reno, W. (1997). Sovereignty and personal rule in Zaire. African Studies Quarterly, 1(3). http://www.clas.ufl.edu/africa/asq/v1/3/4.html. Accessed 13 Aug 2011.

  • Rivera-Vasquesz, A. (2012). Accessible health care for pregnant women and newborns in rural DRC. International Medical Corps (IM). http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/-accessible-health-care-in-drc. Accessed 20 Sept 2012.

  • Santoso, A. (2010). Democratic Republic of Congo: Past, present, future? Forced Migration Review. Retrieved Sept 26, 2011, from http://www.fmreview.org/DRCongo/santoso.html.

  • Save the Children. (2010). Barriers to accessing education in conflict affected states – Case study: Democratic Republic of Congo. International Save the Children Alliance.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah, A. (2010). The Democratic Republic of Congo. Global issues: Social, political, economic and environmental issues that affect us all. http://www.globalissues.org/article/87/the-democratic-republic-of-congo. Accessed 20 Sept 2011.

  • Stearns, J. K. (2014). Causality and conflict: Tracing the origins of armed groups in the eastern Congo. Peace Building, 2(2), 157–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, B., Benner, M. T., Sondorp, E., Schmitz, K. P., Mesmer, U., & Rosenberger, S. (2009). Sexual violence in the protracted conflict of DRC programming for rape survivors in South Kivu. Conflict and Health, 3(3). http://www.conflictandhealth.com/content/3/1/3. Accessed 23 Sept 2011.

  • UN. (2007). Democratic Republic of the Congo: Public administration country profile. New York: UN Division for Public Administration and Development (DPADM) & Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

    Google Scholar 

  • US State Department. (2011). Background note: Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bureau of African Affairs. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2823.htm. Accessed 23 Sept 2011.

  • Vallings, C., & Moreno-Torres, M. (2005). The drivers of fragility: What makes states fragile? PRDE working paper No. 7. London: Department for International Development (DFID).

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Puijenbroek, J. (2008). Human security from below, a case study from the Ituri district, Democratic Republic of Congo. Security and Human Rights, 1, 45–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waldman, R. (2006). Health in fragile states – Country case study: Democratic Republic of the Congo. Arlington: Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival (Basics) for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, M. (1964). The theory of social and economic organization. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2000). Stimulating growth and reducing poverty in Africa: Africa and the World Bank. Washington, DC: World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. (2007). Global monitoring report. Washington, DC: The World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • Young, C., & Turner, T. (1985). The rise and decline of the Zairian state. Madison: The University of Wisconsin Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, University of Swaziland, Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni, M201, Swaziland

    Mukole Kongolo

  2. Department of Sociology, University of Swaziland, Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni, M201, Swaziland

    Agostino M. Zamberia

Authors
  1. Mukole Kongolo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Agostino M. Zamberia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mukole Kongolo .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Global Peace Compact, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Dele Olowu

  2. OSSREA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Paulos Chanie

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kongolo, M., Zamberia, A.M. (2016). State Fragility and Capacity Building in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In: Olowu, D., Chanie, P. (eds) State Fragility and State Building in Africa. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 10. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20642-4_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation