DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
October 16, 2017
The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) because of ongoing instability and sporadic violence in many parts of the country. Very poor transportation infrastructure throughout the DRC, and poor security conditions in the Eastern Congo and Kasais, make it difficult for the U.S. Embassy to provide consular services anywhere outside of Kinshasa. All U.S. citizens should have evacuation plans that do not rely solely on U.S. government assistance. This replaces the Travel Warning dated March 29, 2017.
Armed groups operate in the provinces of North and South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Ituri, Tanganyika, Haut-Lomami, and the Kasai region. These groups have been known to kill, rape, kidnap, pillage, and carry out operations in which civilians may be indiscriminately targeted.
Congolese military and United Nations forces continue to operate throughout North and South Kivu, Tanganyika, Ituri, and near the DRC’s borders with the Central African Republic and the Republic of South Sudan, particularly in and around Garamba National Park and the Kasai regions. Travelers in these regions may encounter troop movements, rebel groups, or militias. Kidnapping for ransom is also common, particularly in North and South Kivu.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, located at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, at +243-081-225-5872 (Do not dial the zero when calling from abroad); the Consular Section at tel. +243-081-884-6859 or +243-081-884-4609 from Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is 081-556-0151.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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