A Summary of the Congo Peace Center Report: Mapping of Conflicts in the Province of Bas-Uélé in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

These conflicts are often latent but are exacerbated by the presence of foreign groups such as the Lord's Resistance Army, nomadic Mbororos herders, and the Bayuda, a group of armed poachers. The influx of refugees from the Central African Republic also puts additional pressure on local communities. The study conducted by the Congo Peace Center uses a participatory methodology to map the socio-economic profile of the province, identify the nature, causes, frequencies, and impacts of conflicts, and analyze local mitigation capabilities and dynamics. The conflict map is a crucial tool for conflict management and peace planning in the area. The study results show that conflict is widespread throughout the Bas-Uélé Province and is driven by land and border disputes, as well as differences in identity. The Congo Peace Center approach emphasizes the importance of transforming community differences into communion and replacing exclusion with inclusion. This involves creating a shared understanding of development goals and promoting peaceful coexistence among people from different backgrounds. The study employed a participatory approach, using unstructured interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 400 respondents in four territories: Aketi, Bambesa, Bondo, and Buta. The results were validated through a final results validation workshop in Buta. The Bas-Uélé province is located in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is composed of six territories: Aketi, Ango, Bambesa, Bondo, Buta, and Poko. The province is rich in natural resources, including iron, gold, diamond, aluminum, lead, copper, and zinc. However, agriculture remains the main economic activity of the population, with crops such as cassava, rice, peanuts, plantains, maize, and beans being the main food crops. The population of the Bas-Uélé province has increased significantly between 2010 and 2018, with the overall population increasing by 212.30% to 1,947,602 inhabitants in 2018. This rapid population growth puts pressure on natural resources and highlights the need for adequate economic growth to mitigate the impact of this growth. The study identified significant conflicts in the communities, with 85.3% of the sample stating that there are conflicts in their communities. The identified conflicts are summarized in a table and highlight the need for conflict management and peace planning in the area. The Congo Peace Center's approach emphasizes the importance of promoting peaceful coexistence and creating a shared understanding of development goals to address these conflicts.