Relationship dossier
Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Relationship assessment
Practical cooperation between the two Congos has coexisted with serious friction over mass expulsions.
Republic of the Congo toward Democratic Republic of the Congo
+10The Republic of the Congo has participated in bilateral cooperation and planning for a road-and-rail bridge linking Brazzaville and Kinshasa. Its 2014 mass expulsion of DRC nationals, however, caused serious friction with the DRC.
Democratic Republic of the Congo toward Republic of the Congo
+15The Democratic Republic of the Congo has participated in bilateral cooperation and planning for a road-and-rail bridge linking Kinshasa and Brazzaville. The scope and implementation of that cooperation are unclear.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship combines practical bilateral cooperation, including planning for a cross-river transport link, with a major episode of tension over the Republic of the Congo’s 2014 mass expulsion of DRC nationals. The status and depth of cooperative arrangements remain uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo maintain cooperation through bilateral mechanisms and proposals for a road-and-rail bridge linking their capitals. Relations have also faced serious friction: the Republic of the Congo’s 2014 mass expulsion of DRC nationals strained ties. The mix of practical cooperation and episodic tension supports a cautious assessment; the scope and implementation of bilateral arrangements are unclear.
Areas of tension
- The Republic of the Congo’s 2014 mass expulsion of DRC nationals strained bilateral relations.
Key developments
The two governments pursued plans for a road-and-rail bridge linking Brazzaville and Kinshasa.
The Republic of the Congo carried out a mass expulsion of nationals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, prompting serious bilateral friction.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation and border-security arrangements are unclear.
- The extent of follow-up to the proposed bridge project is uncertain.