Democratic Republic of Congo seeks US$4 billion reparations

The Democratic Republic of Congo is seeking more than $4bn in damages from Uganda, whose military spent five years in conflict in the neighbouring country.

The International Court of Justice is holding reparations hearings this week in the long-running dispute between the DRC and Uganda over compensation following a conflict between 1998-2003.

In 2005, the court ruled in favour of the DRC, saying Uganda’s military intervention was of “such magnitude and duration that was considered to be a grave violation” of the United Nations Charter.

Paul-Crispin Kakhozi Bin-Bulongo, DRC’s representative, told the court “the harm suffered by my country as a result of Uganda’s actions has been colossal in magnitude”.

He said: “As we pointed out in 2005, the unlawful acts committed by Uganda against the DRC have taken the lives of many of our soldiers, deeply and lastingly affected their infrastructure and environment, bruised its civilian population and exhausted its economy and natural resources.”

After two failed Ugandan appeals in 2011, the two nations had to discuss potential reparations, but negotiations stalled in 2015.

In May 2015, the Democratic Republic of the Congo submitted a request asking for the court to determine the amount of reparation owed by Uganda and following numerous delays the hearing began this week.

Kakhozi Bin-Bulongo said: “The DRC has carried out these negotiations within these guidelines. Unfortunately, Uganda has never acted in the same mind.”

He told the court that Uganda only proposed $25m in damages to the Democratic Republic of Congo during negotiations.

However, Uganda also demanded $4m from the DRC in return for repair works to the Ugandan embassy in the Congolese capital Kinshasa.

Kakhozi Bin-Bulongo added that the sum of reparations sought by DRC were not excessive or arbitrary and is considerably less than the $50bn received by Iraq following the 2003 conflict with a US-led coalition.

He said: “The rigorous method that we followed had the effect on the contrary, to underestimate, and certainly not to exaggerate, the reparation owed by Uganda.”

Uganda will present its case and its reparation demands later in the week.