From Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Towards Post-Mobutuism

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Periodical article

Title:	From Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Towards Post-Mobutuism
Author:	Solomon, Hussein
Year:	1997
Periodical:	Africa Insight
Volume:	27
Issue:	2
Pages:	91-97
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Subjects:	political change political stability foreign intervention Politics and Government
Abstract:	Zaire is arguably the quintessential example of the current malaise affecting Africa. In Mobutu's vast empire are reflected all the symptoms and more - from corruption, nepotism and kleptocracy to ethnic conflict and an absence of democracy; from economic stagnation and environmental degradation to foreign intervention. This article analyses the current crisis in Zaire. The first part briefly explores the roots of the conflict. The second is a critical appraisal of the strategies adopted by the protagonists in the course of the conflict. The third illuminates several vexing issues facing the international community: refugees, peacekeeping, and the declining French influence in Africa. The conclusion is that only if Kabila and his Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL) move away from Mobutu's legacy of authoritarianism will the country move into a post-Mobutu, democratic, era. Ref.