Migration Profile DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO A. Executive Summary The population in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been rising over the past several decades, but the migrant population portion has fluctuated. For example, in 2010 the migrant population was 589,000, and not even a decade later, in 2019, the migrant population was 963,800. In times of conflict, violence, and political instability the country does not attract working migrants; in calmer times, the numbers begin to rise again. Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and Rwanda have been the top source countries for immigrants flooding into the DRC over recent decades, particularly as a result of conflict. Although almost 1 million migrants reside in the DRC, the overall migrant population represents just over 1 percent of the total population. The main reason for migration into the DRC is political unrest in neighbouring countries. Despite its poor economic system and violent conditions, the DRC remains a refuge for asylum seekers because of its geographical location. The most relevant instance of migrant intake dates back to 1994 when the Rwandan Civil War and genocide resulted in more than 1.7 million people crossing the Congolese border. In times of national strife, the DRC often accepts thousands of people, only to see those people move on to other countries after failing to find residence because of poor economic conditions. Despite the DRC being rich in natural resources, it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. It continues to face political unrest, poor public infrastructure, and a very limited road network. Emigrants leave to find better living conditions. It is often hard to specify the statistics relating to emigration – the number can fluctuate significantly because there is no clear policy on migration and because the majority of those leaving the country are simply passing through, as is the case with many refugees and asylum seekers. As such, these emigrants often go unrecorded by authorities. The majority of emigrants stay within the African continent, mostly in South Africa, Tanzania, Angola, Uganda, and Rwanda. Many other social and political issues affect life in the DRC, such as lack of education; gender discrimination; HIV/AIDS and malaria; and human trafficking and smuggling. Men, women and children are all at risk of forced labour and sex trafficking. Armed groups force individuals into this work, especially in the eastern region. The government has done very little so far; they
Migration Profile - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Jul 11, 2023
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