The civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that raged in the 1990s involved five foreign governments - Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe - as well as the two main rebel groups and claimed up to three million lives. The fighting was as much about control of the country's vast natural resources - copper, diamonds, timber, coffee - as it was about political power. In January 2001, President Laurent Kabila was assassinated by a bodyguard, rumoured to be a Rwandan agent, allowing his son, Joseph Kabila, to step in and begin moves towards implementing the Lusaka peace agreement, brokered by the UN in 1999. The beginning of the end was signalled when the participants agreed to allow UN peace-keepers to be stationed in the country. By the end of 2001, nearly all foreign combatants had left the country and DRC finally looked as if it was entering a period of relative peace and stability.
World of Information Business Intelligence Reports allow access to concise, clear coverage of current political and economic developments in over 100 countries. Alongside contributions from journalists and regional experts from around the world, they contain a wide variety of sectoral analysis and background information. Each Report contains an introductory overview commissioned from one of World of Information's network of contributors, an extensive list of key facts and features of the country, including macroeconomic indicators and details regarding national population, labour market and public services. The economy section focuses on monetary, fiscal and trade conditions before analysing sectoral, infrastructure and regulatory developments. Natural resources including agriculture and minerals, industry and service sectors are covered. A five-year table of key indicators invaluable for research into economic trends accompanies the report.
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