Summary of Congo’s Slide into Chaos

The Democratic Republic of Congo, a country of 79 million people and immense natural resource wealth, is on the verge of a political crisis. After nearly two decades in power, Joseph Kabila seems determined to cling to the presidency – in defiance of constitutionally mandated term limits. Meanwhile, the country’s security situation continues to deteriorate amidst clashes between armed militias. getAbstract recommends reading this Foreign Affairs article by the magazine’s managing editor Stuart A. Reid to learn what events led to the current crisis and how it might play out.