Facts for Kids

🕊️ The Congo Crisis erupted in 1960 following the country's independence from Belgium, leading to political instability and conflict.

💔 Over 5 million people have died as a result of the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the late 1990s.

💼 The U.N. deployed its largest peacekeeping mission in history in Congo to address the ongoing violence and instability.

⚔️ Multiple armed groups, including ethnic militias and rebel factions, frequently clash over control of natural resources in the region.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The conflict has caused mass displacement, with millions of people forced to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere.

👩‍⚕️ The health care system in Congo has been severely affected, with outbreaks of diseases like Ebola exacerbated by conflict.

📉 Economic exploitation of Congo's vast mineral resources, including coltan and gold, has fueled ongoing violence and corruption.

🌍 The international community has made several attempts at peace negotiations, but many challenges remain unresolved.

🎓 Congo's educational system has suffered greatly during the crisis, with many schools closing and children missing out on education.

🔴 The Kivu Conflict is one of the most notorious aspects of the Congo Crisis, characterized by its complexity and numerous actors involved.