아프리카ㆍ중동

Advances in digital technology and the proliferation of social media have turned U.S. elections into a world affair akin to the World Cup or the Olympics. News of U.S. electoral developments, from the primaries to the conventions and nominations, captivates millions of people worldwide, who often pick sides, rooting for one candidate over the other. This is the case in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo), where U.S. politics has weighed heavily since the creation of the Congo Free State by Leopold II of Belgium in 1885. However, relations between the United States and Congo may be best described as incongruous. U.S. interests in Congo have been driven mainly by either the need for homeland security or access to resources. These interests tend to be urgent in the short term but are not part of a coherent long-term policy around which the Congolese government and people can rally and prioritize their own long-term national objectives. For the first 100 days of a new Harris or Trump administration, Congo will look for signs of a new approach to U.S. engagement. Because Congo plays a vital role in several areas of great import to world powers, ranging from minerals to energy to climate change, the Congolese people often shoulder the weight of demand-side pressures without commensurate returns. As a result, these policies have not led to a win-win partnership between the United States and Congo.