ABSTRACT
During the decade of the 2000s, the DRC remained embroiled in political conflict, particularly in the eastern region of the country which the central government in Kinshasa failed to control. Western governments cautiously began to reengage with the government, and donor-funded family planning initiatives made some progress, though not at a scale sufficient to meet the needs of this growing country. In 2001, Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated, then replaced by his son Joseph. Rwanda and Uganda continued to exploit the immense mineral wealth of eastern Congo. The governments of Kabila père and fils continued the practice of lavishly supporting a small group of political elites, while the vast majority of the population lived in abject poverty.
USAID had reopened for business; UNFPA had new leadership. ASF/PSI became the most active service delivery operation in the DRC. The newly renamed National Program of Reproductive Health (PNSR) reengaged in family planning with a focus on reducing maternal mortality. The government also established a National Program for Adolescent Health (PNSA) in 2003. USAID supported additional organizations to provide specialized technical assistance in contraceptive logistics, behavior change communication, and a population-based demographic and health survey (DHS) survey.
