Central+Africa

toc

[[image:cenafrica-deportees.jpg align="right" caption="Deportees from the DR of Congo"]]
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola have agreed to stop deporting each other's illegal immigrants after a series of expulsions over the past few years. Angola is unable to cope with the 20,000 people sent back across the border in retaliation to Angola's deportation of illegal Congolese diamond miners. Many of the Angolans sent back were those that had fled to the DR of Congo during Angola's 27 year long civil war that ended in 2002. The large amount of people being moved across the borders are proving to be difficult for each country to handle. Deported Angolans who have been returned are living in poor conditions. This move to end deportation, initiated by the Angolan government, will hopefully help both countries to stop putting their efforts in trying to uproot people who may have long since integrated within their societies and to instead channel their resources into other, more pressing, internal social issues.

Souce at the BBC

[[image:cenafrica-pop2.PNG]]
(source: CIA World Factbook. Rates are per 1000) Central Africa's Crude Birth Rates, Total Fertility Rates, and Infant Mortality Rates are among the highest in the world.
 * ~ ** Country ** ||~ ** Population ** ||  ||~ ** CBR ** ||   ||~ ** CDR ** ||   ||~ ** TFR ** ||   ||~ ** Infant Mortality Rate ** ||
 * Cameroon || 18,879,301 ||  || 34.1 ||   || 12.2 ||   || 4.33 ||   || 63.34 ||
 * Central Africa Republic || 4,511,488 ||  || 32.75 ||   || 17.84 ||   || 4.14 ||   || 80.62 ||
 * Equitorial Guinea || 633,441 ||  || 36.52 ||   || 9.49 ||   || 5.08 ||   || 81.58 ||
 * Gabon || 1,514,993 ||  || 35.57 ||   || 12.76 ||   || 4.65 ||   || 51.78 ||
 * Republic of the Congo || 4,012,809 ||  || 41.37 ||   || 12.01 ||   || 5.84 ||   || 79.78 ||
 * Dem. Republic of the Congo || 68,692,542 ||  || 42.63 ||   || 11.63 ||   || 6.2 ||   || 81.21 ||
 * São Tomé and Príncipe || 212,679 ||  || 38.54 ||   || 5.8 ||   || 5.33 ||   || 37.12 ||

UK Mineral Group Pulls Business Out of Dem. Republic of Congo
The Amalgamated Metals Corporation Group, a UK supplier of metals, has pulled its business out of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The mining industry in the DR of Congo is reported to have been financing rebel groups causing violence and chaos in the region. This move comes at the cost of many who are legitimately involved in the mining industry in the DR of Congo. AMC was specifically involved in mining tin ore. The DR of Congo is one of the top 10 tin producing countries in the world. I think that the move comes with mixed feelings for those involved. AMC may have gotten a better deal through mining in central Africa rather than in other parts of the world. However, Global Witness, the organization that reported on the link between the the industry and rebel factions, was critical of AMC's involvement. Global Witness had even requested intervention from the UN, whom AMC has said they would respect and follow. But following this pull out, Global Witness remained critical because of AMC's complete suspension of business in the area. AMC may be able to take its business elsewhere, but this may be one of many examples of how legitimate businesses in the DR of Congo will suffer until the unrest settles down.

Page by Madeline Hall