ABSTRACT
Route Nationale No. 1 connects Kinshasa to the rural province of the Bas-Congo in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 1 All along the road, signposts pay tribute to donor activities. The projects touch all sectors of development aid: education, the provision of drinking water, access to justice, health services, the construction of market places. Among the donors, Belgium is very present. Many Congolese still consider the former colonial power as a noko. 2 Road signs rarely refer to an initiative undertaken by the Congolese state. When they do, they use the terminology of the donor community: a ‘gift’ by the President, or a ‘donation’ by the provincial governor.
