Sub Saharan Africa
Congo (Democratic Republic)
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Still current at: 20 July 2008
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Updated: 16 July 2008
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This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Health section (typhoid fever). The overall level of the advice has not changed
(see travel advice legal disclaimer)
Travel advice for this country
- Travel Summary
- Safety and security
- Local laws and customs
- Entry requirements
- Health
- Natural disasters
- General
See entire profile
Travel Summary
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We advise against all travel to eastern and north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This includes entering DRC from Uganda and Rwanda. The only exception to this is within the towns of Goma and Bukavu, including entering them from Rwanda, where we advise against all but essential travel. This is due to continued insecurity and lawlessness in these areas. Instability and fighting between the Congolese army and insurgents in North Kivu province have led to very high numbers of civilians being displaced. See the Local Travel section of this advice for more details.
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We advise against all but essential travel to the rest of DRC because of continuing tension and insecurity. The situation can deteriorate at short notice. See the Local Travel section of this advice for more details.
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Following the arrest of the political leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, there is an increased likelihood that political demonstrations will take place. For immediate, specific information about planned demonstrations or any other events which may affect the local security situation, you should register with the British Embassy in Kinshasa. See the General (Registering with the British Embassy) section of this advice for more details.
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Ndjili airport (Kinshasa’s main airport) and Kinshasa’s ferry terminal can close at short notice. You should check with your operator before travelling.
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There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
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The main type of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in DRC in 2007 was for replacing lost or stolen passports. Robbery, including by individuals posing as plainclothes police, is also common. You should also be aware of gangs promising you cut price gold and diamonds.
- We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.
Safety and security
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
For further information see Terrorism Abroad.
Crime
The collapsed economy, non-payment of military and public service salaries, and very high unemployment have led to a high level of crime. You should be alert to the risk of street crime and armed robbery at all times, including being targeted by armed gangs when driving. Foreigners are at particular risk of street robbery in Kinshasa, often in the vicinity of hotels and supermarkets. Some gangs use girls to lure the unwary into traps; others promise cut-price gold and diamonds or pose as police to rob foreigners, including in daylight. Western expatriates have been robbed of money and mobile telephones in Kinshasa this year. There is also a risk of arbitrary arrests of foreigners by security authorities who demand payment for release.
You should take sensible security precautions. Do not walk in the streets alone or after dark. Safeguard and avoid displaying valuables and cash. Deposit them in a hotel safe, where practical. Keep copies of documents, including your passport, separately. On the road, you should keep doors locked and windows shut while driving. Do not drive off the main thoroughfares or park in unsupervised areas.
For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.
Country Profile for Democratic Republic of Congo
Five years of civil war in DRC officially ended on 29 June 2003, when the Congolese parties to the conflict signed accords sharing military and political responsibilities in a transitional government. Democratic elections were held on 30 July and 29 October 2006 and the newly elected President was inaugurated on 6 December 2006. During the election period there was armed conflict in Kinshasa, which resulted in civilian casualties.
In the months following the elections, there were further public demonstrations related to the political process, some of which turned violent (see Local Travel). Protests have in the past spilled over into attacks on international targets. You should avoid crowds and popular gathering points, and contact the Embassy if there are signs of trouble.
For immediate, specific information about planned demonstrations or any other events which may affect the local security situation, you should register with the British Embassy in Kinshasa (see Contact Details).
The agreement reached in January 2008 between the DRC government and armed groups offers the chance for peace in the provinces of North and South Kivu, where conflict has continued beyond the end of the civil war. However, issues remain to be resolved, a heavy United Nations peace keeping presence is deployed and there is a risk of a return to conflict in that part of the country. Large numbers of civilians remain displaced as a result of conflict in the Kivus.
We advise against all travel to eastern and north eastern DRC. This includes entering eastern DRC from Uganda or Rwanda (some gorilla-trekking operators in these countries cross into DRC). The only exception to this is within the towns of Goma and Bukavu, including entering them from Rwanda, where we advise against all but essential travel. Since late August 2007 there have been clashes involving the Congolese armed forces and rebel groups. Virunga National Park is close to the scene of recent conflict. The situation in this region remains tense and unstable. The possibility of fighting between rebel groups and the Congolese armed forces and of violence by militia groups towards the civilian population remains. UN peace keepers in eastern DRC are themselves the target of violence from time to time.
We advise against all but essential travel to the rest of DRC because of continuing tension and insecurity. This can mean that the DRC’s borders with Rwanda and Burundi close at short notice. You should consult the British Embassies in Kinshasa and Kigali if in doubt.
You should be aware of the increased likelihood of political demonstrations following the arrest of the political leader Jean-Pierre Bemba. If you have not already done so, you should register with the British Embassy for local updates on the security situation in Kinshasa.
Violent clashes took place in Bas Congo province (south western DRC) between a local political group, the BDK, and Congolese security forces in late February and early March 2008, resulting in a number of deaths. These followed confrontations between the BDK and the police on 5 January in which six people were reported killed and over twenty seriously injured, some as a result of gunfire. The BDK and government troops fought in Bas Congo at the end of January and early February 2007, when over 100 people are reported to have been killed. The situation in Bas Congo remains tense, but for the moment without incident. Particular care should be taken when travelling to the Bas Fleuve region.
The north eastern district of Ituri, near the frontier with Uganda, remains an area of continued inter-factional conflict. Despite the presence of UN peacekeepers, violence continues. There remains the risk of armed clashes and attacks on civilians across eastern DRC, in Ituri, the Kivu provinces and northern Katanga.
In late September 2007 over thirty people were killed in three separate incidences of inter-tribal violence in Kasai Oriental and Kasai Occidental Provinces (southern DRC).
During March 2007 there was a build up of military forces representing different political factions in Gombe District in the centre of Kinshasa. The situation deteriorated, and fighting took place across the city on 22 and 23 March with a heavy loss of life.
The border with Angola can close at short notice. You should check with your travel agent before attempting to cross the border into Angola. Obtaining visas for Angola in DRC is difficult. You are advised to arrange them before travelling to DRC.
An international driving permit is required. To drive in DRC and car hire with international companies is possible in Kinshasa.
There is no reliable public transport system in DRC. Over-crowded and unroadworthy vans serve as buses in Kinshasa. There are few taxis, available from the large hotels, and these do not meet western safety standards. Outside Kinshasa and other main cities, most roads are barely driveable even with a 4x4, especially during the rainy season (September to May).
For further information see Driving Abroad.
The European Commission has published a list of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban or restrictions within the European Union. This is regularly updated. You should check the following link to see whether this will affect your travel: http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/safety/flywell_en.htm.
The ferry service between Kinshasa and Brazzaville is currently operating.
You should be aware that the boats and ferries, which serve the rivers and lakes, are poorly maintained and often overloaded. Strong currents, shifting sandbanks and poor maintenance contribute to low safety standards. On 9 December 2007, 12 people were killed when a ferry capsized on the River Congo in Equateur Province. At least 17 people were killed when a passenger ferry sank on Lake Tanganyika in January 2008; large numbers of deaths were reported after a boat bound for Moba, a port on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, sank on 20 May. A makeshift boat ferrying passengers on the River Lubilanji near Mbuji-Mayi in southern DRC sank in early April 2008. Over thirty people were reported killed as a result.
For more general information see River and Sea Safety
Local laws and customs
For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.
Entry requirements
All British passport holders need a valid visa to travel to DRC. This must be obtained before travelling. Contact the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A Rwandan or Ugandan immigration stamp in your passport should not prohibit admission, but you may still experience difficulties on arrival in the DRC if you do have them. Visitors arriving from the UK have recently experienced problems on arrival at Ndjili airport, Kinshasa. There have been a number of unrecognised visas issued in London to travellers and passports have been confiscated by airport authorities on arrival.
Satellite phones, GPS receivers or Military clothing
You are advised not to bring satellite phones, GPS receivers or military clothing into the DRC as this could lead to difficulties with the security authorities.
Yellow Fever vaccination certificate
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory and you are likely to be asked to produce one on arrival.
Health
The Centre Prive d'Urgence (CPU) clinic in Kinshasa is able to cope with basic health problems and to stabilise a patient after most serious accidents. Outside Kinshasa, western standard medical facilities are practically non-existent. Medical evacuation to South Africa (or elsewhere) is advisable as soon as possible. You should ensure that you have comprehensive medical and travel insurance, to include specifically the very high costs of evacuation by air ambulance. Minimum turnaround time for evacuation by air ambulance is 10 hours.
Malaria, rabies, polio, meningitis and cholera are common in DRC.
An outbreak of the Ebola virus began in September 2007, in West Kasai province (southern DRC). The outbreak has now ended. However, you should take precautions against the virus, which include careful hand-washing, avoiding contact with potentially-infected patients and avoiding any contact with ill or dead animals.
Large numbers of cases of typhoid fever have also been diagnosed in DRC in 2008. Plague has been reported in Orientale Province (north-eastern DRC).
In the 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 890,000 adults aged 15 or over in DRC were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 3.2% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.
You should seek medical advice before travelling to DRC and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.
Natural disasters
Volcanoes
Since May 2006, the Nyiragongoand Nyamulagira volcanoes in the north east of the country (near Goma)have been showing signs of renewed volcanic activity. On 27 November2006, Nyamulagira erupted. If you are in the area (against our traveladvice) you should follow local advice.
Earthquakes
On3 February 2008 an earthquake struck Eastern DRC with its epicentre 20kilometres north of Bukavu. It measured 6.1 on the Richter scale. Theearthquake and its aftershocks could be felt in neighbouring Rwanda andBurundi. 5 people are reported dead in DRC with over 200 casualties. Afurther tremor in the same area, measuring approximately 5.0 on theRichter scale, was reported on 9 June.
On 19 February 2007 anearthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale was felt in parts ofeastern DRC (mainly north Kivu and southern Ituri). Reports suggestthe epicentre was in the border area between DRC and Uganda.
General
We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See Travel Insurance for more details.
If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is how we can help.
Consular Assistance
The lack of reliable air transport and continued insecurity may prevent the British Embassy in Kinshasa from being able to extend normal levels of consular assistance to British nationals anywhere in DRC other than Kinshasa.
If you do decide to visit or work in DRC you are strongly advised to have your own evacuation plan, to regularly review its viability in the light of changing circumstances, and to provide details of it to the British Embassy at ambrit@ic.cd.
Registering with the British Embassy
We strongly recommend that if you are visiting or are resident in the DRC, you should register with the British Embassy in Kinshasa. You can do so in person or, if you prefer, via our secure online registration service at: Consular Online Registration on the FCO website or with our LOCATE service. Notwithstanding our inability to guarantee consular assistance and advice against travel in the east, we would strongly recommend you to register and give us your contact details if you intend to visit DRC, so that we can pass on information that may be of use to you concerning the security situation in your area. You should also consider having a visa for the Republic of Congo if you are planning to stay in Kinshasa for a considerable period of time. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.
Temporary Passport service
The British Embassy in Kinshasa offers only a Temporary Passport service. These are valid for up to one year only. The Embassy provides a full replacement passport service via the British High Commission in Nairobi. This can take up to six weeks, unless you are prepared to meet courier costs.
Mobile phones
DRC has a GSM network on which most dual-band (or better) UK mobile phones will work. Coverage is not complete. If in doubt, contact your UK service provider. Local ‘pay as you go’ SIM cards are available.
Travel advice for this country
- Travel Summary
- Safety and security
- Local laws and customs
- Entry requirements
- Health
- Natural disasters
- General
See entire profile
Change country
contacts
Congo (Democratic Republic), Kinshasa, British Embassy
Address:
British Embassy
83 Avenue du Roi Baudouin
Kinshasa
Telephone:
(243) 81 715 0761
(243) 81 715 0724 For genuine emergencies only
Fax:
(243) 813 46 4291
Email: ambrit@ic.cd
Office hours:
GMT:
Mon-Thur: 0630-1330
Fri: 0630-1300
Local Time:
Mon-Thur: 0730-1430
Fri: 0730-1400
Out of hours, Embassy answer machine gives a contact number
