Joseph
Kabila
2001-Present
Despite U.N. intervention and more meetings between
the involved countries' leaders, the killing and fighting continued
in the DRC. The death of Laurent Kabila at the hands of one of his
own bodyguards in January 2001 led to the swearing in of his son,
Joseph, as president. Joseph Kabila's brief time in office has already
offered some hope that the fighting may one day cease. His willingness
to meet with rebel groups, as well as other international leaders,
has already led to the withdrawal of several troops from the DRC,
and his decision to lift Mobutu's ban on political parties could be
a viable step towards implementing democracy. Congo's biggest problem
may not be its own government however. Many foreign troops still remain
in the DRC, not to support local forces, but to maintain their access
to the Congo's ever-enticing natural resources. Over a hundred years
ago the lure was ivory and rubber, today it's diamonds, coltan and
copper.
