The State of Leadership and Diaspora Engagement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

Abstract

Global South countries that engage their diasporas in capacity building by providing the necessary infrastructure for their expatriates to invest in their homelands, have made strides toward social development. This chapter aims at investigating the state of leadership and diaspora engagement in the DRC. A few sources including the US Institute for Peace (USIP) report on isolated Congolese workshops, discussing perspectives and recommendations to improve economic and political policies in the DRC. However, dysfunctional leadership and lack of collaboration have hampered efforts to foster investment in the welfare of the homeland. Using a leadership ethics framework dubbed “African Baobab Tree,” this contribution proposes concrete steps for the implementation of a two-way communication between the DRC leadership and its diaspora.