The Congo Tries to Reclaim Its Territorial Integrity

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's neighbors have positioned themselves to exploit and even control mineral resources in the country's most remote provinces, where Kinshasa has relatively little authority. Until recently, the Congolese government has been too weak to challenge foreign encroachment because of its battles against rebel groups, some of which are supported by other governments. Now Kinshasa is trying to reassert its control over the farthest reaches of its territory. Part of its strategy will be to pit its neighbors against one another in the hopes of improving its territorial integrity. So far, these efforts have come at the expense of Rwanda and Uganda but to the benefit South Africa.