The mighty Congo is Africa’s second-longest river after the Nile; in terms of flow, it’s second only to the Amazon. With a basin spanning most of the Democratic Republic of Congo and parts of six neighboring countries, the river has been a vital lifeline for centuries, forming (with its tributaries) a vast inland waterway that allows access to places still inaccessible by road.
The river also nourishes immense biodiversity: It’s home to at least 700 fish species, and it supports the world’s second-largest rainforest. It also empties water and sediment into one of the largest carbon sinks in the world, the Congo Plume in the Atlantic.
Threats to the Congo
Hydropower companies have targeted the river for decades. The country commissioned two disastrous, corruption-laden projects in 1972 and 1982: Inga 1 and Inga 2. These projects displaced thousands, destroyed livelihoods and impoverished generations while plunging the country into debt. The dams never generated the power promised: 84% of Congolese people still lack access to electricity. But the debacle inspired a civil society movement that demands reparations for displaced residents as well as just energy transition.
Our Work: Strengthening the Movement
The government continues to pursue dangerous, expensive hydropower schemes like the proposed Inga 3 dam and Grand Inga. With our partners, we have leveraged international expertise to expose the project’s fundamental flaws, successfully delaying it and changing the conversation both nationally and internationally. A vibrant and growing civil society movement, including women and Inga survivors, is working to change the country’s development path. They demand the immediate and equitable development of DRC’s other abundant resources, including solar, micro-hydro and wind power, to finally deliver much-needed energy access to the Congolese people.
View from the River Congo between Kinshasa and Lukolela, DRC | Photo by: Ollivier Girard/CIFOR. 
On the Congo River between Kinshasa and Lukolela, DRC | Photo by Ollivier Girard/CIFOR.
Related Resources
- Congo’s Energy Divide Factsheet (2013) (Also available in French)
Latest Updates
- PRESS RELEASE | South Africa and DRC plan to press ahead with Inga 3 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Democratic Republic of Congo has just concluded a week-long conference on the beleaguered Grand Inga Dam Project, restating the commitment from South Africa to purchase 5000MW… - Covid-19 Impacts in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Crisis to Opportunities Series
By: Siziwe Mota, Africa Programs Director The global Covid-19 crisis has shed a light on the deep-seated inequities in the way our rivers and the people who depend on them… - STATEMENT | It’s Time for the African Development Bank to Pull the Plug on the Inga 3 Dam
By: Africa Program On the occasion of the visit of African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), International Rivers calls on the institution… - Activist training school in DRC strengthens the movement for rivers
International Rivers’ advocacy training in DRC aimed at strengthening the movement of civil society partners and community groups to effectively advocate for the protection of rivers, rights of dam affected…