ABSTRACT
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire, proves to be a country of extremes. On account of the sheer abundance of its natural resources, DCR should rank among the wealthiest countries on earth. This chapter, the author endeavors to shed some light onto the potential contributions Cimic can make to the process of strengthening the central government's authority and influence in the eastern provinces of DRC. In order to do so, thelimitedrole of Cimic within Monuc is described first. The chapter subsequently discusses three functional areas infrastructure, agriculture and humanitarian assistance to which, according to the author, Cimic may contribute. Based on his conclusions, the author finally formulates some recommendations aimed at future developments in DRC. Finally, this chapter concludes by offering some recommendations for Cimic-in-practice. First, NATO's Cimic Centre of Excellence should concern itself with policy-making additional to national policies in crises areas.
