Democratic Republic of Congo after Live Aid

The DRC is equivalent in size to two thirds of the European Union and has a widely dispersed population of 70 million. It has vast economic resources and the potential to be one of the richest countries on the African continent as well as a driver for African growth. However, the DRC remains at the centre of a humanitarian crisis following a long history of civil war and corruption. Despite a peace deal and the formation of a transitional government in 2003, the DRC remains a fragile country with huge needs for reconstruction and a bleak socio-economic situation.

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Time Line

• 1960 Congo becomes independent; Patrice Lumumba as PM and Joseph Kasavubu as president.

• 1961 Lumumba murdered.

• 1964 President Kasavubu appoints Tshombe PM.

• 1965 Kasavubu and Tshombe ousted in a coup led by Joseph Mobutu.

• 1971 Mobutu renames the country Zaire.
  

• 1989 Zaire defaults on loans leading to the cancellation of development programmes and increased deterioration of the economy. SOS Children starts work in the country, opening a Children's Village in Bakavu on the shores of Lake Kivu in the east of the country.

• 1990 Mobutu ends ban on multiparty politics and appoints a transitional government, but retains substantial powers.

• 1997 Rebels capture the capital; Zaire renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo; Laurent-Desire Kabila made president.

• 1998 Rebels (backed by Rwanda and Uganda) rise up against Kabila. Zimbabwe and Namibia send troops to repel them. Angolan troops also side with Kabila. The rebels take control of much of the east of DR Congo. SOS Children opens a second village in Uvira to support children who had been abandoned.
  

• 1999 The African countries involved in the war sign a ceasefire accord. The following month the MLC and RCD rebel groups sign the accord.

• 2001 President Kabila shot dead. Joseph Kabila succeeds his father. US refugee agency says the war has killed 2.5 million people since August 1998. A UN panel says the warring parties are deliberately prolonging the conflict to plunder gold, diamonds, timber and coltan, used in the making of mobile phones.

• 2002 Peace deal signed in South Africa between Kinshasa government and main rebel groups.

• 2003 President Kabila signs a transitional constitution and names a transitional government to lead until elections. Leaders of main former rebel groups are sworn in as vice-presidents.
  

• 2004 Fighting in the east between the Congolese army and renegade soldiers from a former pro-Rwanda rebel group.

• 2005 Voters back a new constitution, already approved by parliament, paving the way for elections in 2006.

• 2006 New constitution comes into force; new national flag is adopted. Thousands are displaced in the north-east as the army and UN peacekeepers step up drive to disarm rebel forces ahead of elections.

• 2006 (July)  Presidential and parliamentary polls held - the first free elections in four decades. No clear winner in the presidential vote means Joseph Kabila and opposition candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba prepare to contest a run-off poll, leading to clashes.

• 2006 (November) Joseph Kabila is declared winner of October's run-off.

• 2006 (December) Fighting continues resulting in the flight of 50,000 people. The UN Security Council expresses concern about the fighting.

• 2008 The government and rebel militia sign a peace pact aimed at ending years of conflict in the east. Army troops clash with Rwandan Hutu militias - thousands displaced.

• 2011 Presidential and parliamentary elections; Kabila gains another term. The vote is criticised abroad and the opposition disputes the result. SOS Children opens a third village to support children in and around the DRC’s capital Kinshasa.
  

• 2013 Representatives of 11 African countries sign an accord in Ethiopia pledging to help end the conflict in DR Congo. The M23 rebel group declared a ceasefire ahead of the talks.