Republic of Congo
The Republic of Congo, not to be confused with the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is located in Central Africa. Large rainforest areas of the Congo Basin, the catchment area of the Congo and its tributaries, mainly cover the northern part of the country. Compared to its neighbour DRC, the Republic of Congo is now relatively stable. The military operations in the southern part of the country (in the "Pool" department, formerly fought over by rebels) have been completed and the disarmament of the rebels has begun. The government is striving for a lasting peace agreement with the rebels.
The majority of the country's population lives in the South, more than half of them in the two largest cities of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. The rest of the country ranks among the least dense areas in Africa.
Almost half of the urban dwellers in Republic of Congo live in slums. The Government has mainstreamed the citywide approach of the PSUP into its planning framework and has co-financed the programme. Furthermore, it has demonstrated strong commitment to sustainable and inclusive urban development and urban poverty reduction. For example, the Minister in charge of town planning was elevated to the Rank of a Minister of State, with a broadened mandate that includes urban policy and environmental issues. Within Urban Planning Master Plans (SDU), findings of the PSUP are reflected and slums marked as precarious neighborhoods are to be restructured.