The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in the international spotlight again as a Rwandan-backed rebellion in the east has caused a security and humanitarian crisis. While this represents an immediate problem, deeper and protracted issues have contributed to the crisis that relate to the consistent neglect of governance reforms. The DRC is plagued by serious flaws in the country’s democratic system, a weak justice sector, deeply entrenched and widespread corruption and a neglected or non-existent infrastructure, which prevents the effective delivery of public services.
