The largest Sub-Saharan African country by area, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is resource rich and home to some of the world’s largest deposits of rare earth minerals, but the vast majority of the population lives in extreme poverty. Governance is a perennial challenge, but President Kabila’s 2019 exit has cautiously raised hopes for democratic reform. The country has historically struggled with conflict, violence, and disease, a concern for the international community given DRC’s central location and numerous neighbors.
