Africa’s Hydropower Lifeline: The Congo River

Abstract

The Congo, the world second-largest river, limitless water, rich fertile soils, a favorable climate, and underlain by abundant deposits of gold, copper, cobalt, diamonds, cobalt, uranium, coltan, and oil should make it one of the world’s richest countries. However, it is one of the world’s most hopeless. The interior of the Congo was opened by the British-born explorer Henry Morton Stanley in the late 19th Century. His dreams of free trading associations with communities he met were shattered by the infamous King of the Belgians, Leopold. According to historians, King Leopold ran a mercenary force that used murder and torture to force the native population to extract and export the region’s ivory, rubber, and other natural resources. Historians estimate that from 1885 to 1908, approximately 10 million people in the region died at the hands of the Belgians. The primary objective of this study is to develop a master multi-country plan for more hydropower utilizing the Congo River’s potential as the continent’s energy lifeline while mitigating the loss of agricultural lands and reduced food security. In addition to trade, the river is a major energy source in Africa. With its tremendous flow rate, it can produce an immense amount of power. The Congo Basin alone accounts for 13% of the world’s hydropower potential, which is more than enough to meet the needs of Africa.