The Republic of the Congo remains a hard-line autocracy that is characterized by fraudulent elections and an overall dominance of the president and his highly corrupt inner circle. Dissenting voices faces massive repression, including means like force, imprisonment, and torture. At the same time, the regime fails to meet its citizens’ basic needs.
The country has generally failed to diversify its economy and continues to be highly dependent on its oil export. Despite the decline in the debt burden, the country is still in a constant debt emergency. While the president and his allies continue to benefit greatly from the revenues, more than half of the Congolese population now lives in extreme poverty.
Severe flooding and related crises have inflicted significant damage on many parts of the country. Progress in health, education, and overall human development has also been sluggish, impeding domestic markets and the transparency and functioning of government activities.
