Wednesday, December 17, 2008

'Alarming' levels of poverty in Congo: UN

Yesterday, the United Nations Development Programme released a report on poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The report's findings show that half of the population will not live to see the age of 40. The long lasting war that tries to control the country's vast resources is mostly to blame.

The Mail and Guardian from South Africa details the UN's report.

The report said that 75% of the population lived below the poverty line -- less than a dollar a day.

More than half the population (57%) had no access to drinking water or to basic healthcare (54%), while three out of every 10 children were poorly nourished, it added.

And there was a 47% chance that a Congolese would die before his or her 40th birthday.

While there had been some improvement in adult literacy and access to healthcare, all other indicators had worsened, the report continued.

Human rights groups have long argued that the battle in the east of the country for control of DRC's mineral riches, including cassiterite (tin ore), gold and coltan, is part of the country's problems.

One-third of the world's estimated reserves of coltan, which is used to make electronics components, are in DRC. The country also has 49% of the world's supplies of cobalt.

1 comment:

Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo said...

Is there a link between poverty and repeated Ebola outbreaks?

On 24 December 2008, Congo reported another Ebola Outbreaks. This outbreak is in the same area where the 2007 (August-September) Ebola Outbreak.

The area is located in rural central Congo near Mweka in the Kasia Occidental Province. The area is extremely poor.

I think there is a link.