Which country can the DRC learn from the mostin terms of economy, defense, culture, etc?

Pour comparer ce qui est comparable (en termes de culture, de démographie, et donc de défis à relever), il me semble que seul un autre pays africain puisse être pris en comparaison. Mais j'avoue qu'aucune idée ne me vient là.

In my opinion, there cannot be one development model for a country to follow since the development process consists of many aspects which have endogenous roots. Any exterior contribution should be limited in scope and scale and, most of all, should be sector-specific. It follows that one can integrate only certain aspects of American democracy, Korean economy or French culture, for instance, into a Congolese political, economic and cultural systems that stem from endogenous realities; a total transplantation of a foreign system to another country is an undertaking that is doomed to failure.

Development is first and foremost a state of mind, i.e, the psychological disposition of a people to improve their lot and environment in a linear way. Unfortunately, this is what is lacking in the DRC. Copying the Korean economic model, for example, does not mean that the recipient society is psychologically and culturally ready to implement it as consequently as the Koreans do.

Pour comparer ce qui est comparable (en termes de culture, de démographie, et donc de défis à relever), il me semble que seul un autre pays africain puisse être pris en comparaison. Mais j'avoue qu'aucune idée ne me vient là.

Maybe like Pius advised, we can only copy certain sectors from different countries for example, tourism from Kenya, banking from Nigeria, agriculture from SA, etc.

I would like for DRC to develop a stronger relationship with SA, as I feel that is the one nation that we stand to gain from the most.

In my opinion, there cannot be one development model for a country to follow since the development process consists of many aspects which have endogenous roots. Any exterior contribution should be limited in scope and scale and, most of all, should be sector-specific. It follows that one can integrate only certain aspects of American democracy, Korean economy or French culture, for instance, into a Congolese political, economic and cultural systems that stem from endogenous realities; a total transplantation of a foreign system to another country is an undertaking that is doomed to failure.

Development is first and foremost a state of mind, i.e, the psychological disposition of a people to improve their lot and environment in a linear way. Unfortunately, this is what is lacking in the DRC. Copying the Korean economic model, for example, does not mean that the recipient society is psychologically and culturally ready to implement it as consequently as the Koreans do.

Interesting that you mention the mentality of the people because I have a question along those lines. Although we are already paying a very heavy price at the moment, do you think the Congolese people are ready to work our way out of trouble? Like the Japanese and Koreans.

For example, I ventured into a short agriculture business venture in Bas Congo and I found the work ethic of the people there questionable. I don't really want to say much because I do not want to generalise but the group of people that we hired were, for a lack of a better word, very lazy. Some would do half a day's work and still request a full day's pay, reason being that "its gone past 2pm already". I found it tough.

Is the answer only come from a responsible government? Apart from that, I cannot see how the mentality can changed apart from incentives from the government.

In this context, I think we can learn alot from our Asian counterparts. The Chinese have it included in their contracts that they are allowed to bring in their own workers due to the locals either not having the required skillset or work ethics. (They do this in most african countries, especially Angola)

Interesting that you mention the mentality of the people because I have a question along those lines. Although we are already paying a very heavy price at the moment, do you think the Congolese people are ready to work our way out of trouble?
I will walk on hot stones here, but the question hangs around for one Century.

Notwithstanding the excesses (there were but remained a minority), what do you think should be actually understood generically by "forced labour" throughout the colonial period ?

By essence, and this is not a critic but a simple and perfectly understandable fact, the locals were by nature and because of the nature indolent. (not lazy, indolent)
And to make the point, I

In my opinion, there cannot be one development model for a country to follow since the development process consists of many aspects which have endogenous roots. Any exterior contribution should be limited in scope and scale and, most of all, should be sector-specific. It follows that one can integrate only certain aspects of American democracy, Korean economy or French culture, for instance, into a Congolese political, economic and cultural systems that stem from endogenous realities; a total transplantation of a foreign system to another country is an undertaking that is doomed to failure.

Development is first and foremost a state of mind, i.e, the psychological disposition of a people to improve their lot and environment in a linear way. Unfortunately, this is what is lacking in the DRC. Copying the Korean economic model, for example, does not mean that the recipient society is psychologically and culturally ready to implement it as consequently as the Koreans do.

Approve.

Mulopwe

(...sorry)
And to make the point, I would add that under such circumstances probably every human being would do the same. Why would you "produce" something or harvest or collect or fish more than what you and your family need ?

Does everyone agree so far ?

It is a sensitive point to make but as always, it is good to hear different points of view that one may not think about.

What I would also like to add to the conversation is that one of my friends in business said when in Bandundu, the attitude was basically the opposite of what we saw in Bas Congo, the young people were hungry for work. That is why I am being careful in not generalising the situation because there is always a counter balance.

It is a sensitive point to make but as always, it is good to hear different points of view that one may not think about.

What I would also like to add to the conversation is that one of my friends in business said when in Bandundu, the attitude was basically the opposite of what we saw in Bas Congo, the young people were hungry for work. That is why I am being careful in not generalising the situation because there is always a counter balance.

RDC is vast and complex. What you see in Kongo Central is not necessary what is happening in Kasai , Katanga or Kivu. In general, Congolese are hard dedicated hard worker .......

Mulopwe

RDC is vast and complex. What you see in Kongo Central is not necessary what is happening in Kasai , Katanga or Kivu. In general, Congolese are hard dedicated hard worker .......

Mulopwe

Yes, I agree but I was shocked the same way.

The business culture is not friendly for people that are willing to take risks and put their little bit of money where their mouth is. If the orders were coming from an indian, chinese or a caucasian, they would have been followed and I have seen enough to come to that conclusion. That is why I asked Pius about people's mentality.

My wish is to see 4 other cities the size and the multi ethnic mixture of Kinshasa where development can be centered around. Let these cities carry the whole economy, a little bit like China did with the east coast port cities.

ok... I am not considering the present situation, but the period when a huge transformation took place, the decades before 1950.
People went from a traditional tribal society with no other target but just to live into a mercantile economy where people have to produce an excess, sell and buy, and are "forced" to work.

This fracture was not perceived by the majority as an advancement.
How could it have been different ?

My wish is to see 4 other cities the size and the multi ethnic mixture of Kinshasa where development can be centered around. Let these cities carry the whole economy, a little bit like China did with the east coast port cities.
We are the same page when it comes to that. But instead of only 4 cities, i would like 7 cities (Kin Included)..

Cities like Lubumbashi, Goma, Kisangani, Bukavu are already multi Cultured. If we add Mbandaka, MM, Boma and replace Goma with Butembo ( due to that deadly Volcano and Methane gaz).


Anyways: There is no country we can look up to as a cultural model. what works for other countries, will not work for us. we have to be our own model and model for others.

2. Economic and Development model? This is one has to from different nations.
We simply need to focus most on very important.

Agricultural: Like Karavia said, thi sector must be mandatory for every province to develop.

Education (Research and Development: This sector must be reformed ASAP. we need to make sure we have Literacy. and Higher technical education must be the priority. The current state of education is sadening.

Healthcare: Absolute rehabilitation and this Area, Provinces must develop this area with minimum Central government support.

Infrastrcutures.Intertstate Highways, RailRoad and Banana/Muanda. These are crusial as the otherones above. I really deslike depending on other countries when we should keep money in our country.

Energy: We aren't going anywhere with no electrcity. no where. Electric power dams, Wind power, Solar power. etc...

Defense and Security: Conscript program. A large Special Forces of 30k men. And a 300k Men Army; A 35k men AirForce and a Navy of 10k men.

This is where Intellectuals demonstrate their skills.

Where are the Congolese intellectuals?

You/we can stir in the pot ad infinitum, as long as a couple of basic features do not emerge in a substantial part of the leading figures in business, administration and politics, it will remain a useless exercise.

Everything you may suggest or dream of requires at its core: honesty and discipline, the unavoidable pillars of an organization.

Do they exist ?

This is where Intellectuals demonstrate their skills.

Where are the Congolese intellectuals?

The majority of intellectuals that stayed in the country are sitting around doing nothing simply because of the environment. There are also vetarans that are idle, people that worked in high government posts abroad during the Mobutu era.

There are plenty of qualified Congolese in southern africa from doctors to directors to people serving in other armies. Talent has never been our problem but the environement and infrastructure to parachute people to a level that their talents truly deserve. An obvious example is someone like Oscar, a very qualified man in his field in a western country.

The conversation level of the DRC section is probably the highest I have come across on this whole SSC website, so there you go, another set of intellectuals.

This is where Intellectuals demonstrate their skills.

Where are the Congolese intellectuals?

They are there but as the anti values run the country since the independance, they are not the models. In general Congolese don't understand the contribution the intellectuals can bring to the country. And often they mix up the fact to speak for example French as a sign of being intellectual.

Defense and Security: Conscript program. A large Special Forces of 30k men. And a 300k Men Army; A 35k men AirForce and a Navy of 10k men.
Add nuclear submarines, couple of aircraft carriers and a few spy satellites and this will look very impressive.