Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
Reconsider travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to crime, civil unrest, and Ebola. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do Not Travel To:
- North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces due to Ebola
- North Kivu and Ituri provinces due to terrorism.
- The eastern DRC region and the three Kasai provinces (Kasai, Kasai-Oriental, Kasai-Central) due to crime, civil unrest, armed conflict and kidnapping.
Country Summary: Violent crime, such as armed robbery, armed home invasion, and assault, is common and local police lack resources to respond effectively to serious crime. Assailants may pose as police or security agents.
Demonstrations are common in many cities and some have turned violent. Police have at times responded with heavy-handed tactics that resulted in civilian casualties and arrests.
There is an outbreak of the Ebola virus in eastern DRC, which may affect other areas in the country. The CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Notice for Ebola in the DRC.
The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens outside of Kinshasa due to poor infrastructure and security conditions.
Read the Safety and Security section on the Country Information Page.
If you decide to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
- Avoid demonstrations.
- Use caution when walking or driving.
- Always have a copy of your U.S. passport and DRC visa. Keep originals in a secure location. Carry your U.S. passport and DRC visa when crossing provincial borders or flying domestically.
- Read the CDC Travel Notice on Ebola in the DRC.
- Visit the CDC Travelers’ Health Page for the DRC.
- Consult a doctor for preventive medical advice. Many diseases present in the DRC have symptoms similar to Ebola. If suspected to have Ebola, you could face travel delays, quarantine, and extremely expensive medical costs.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program(STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebookand Twitter.
- Read OSAC’s Crime and Safety Report for the DRC.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri Provinces: Level 4—Do Not Travel
Eastern DRC is experiencing an Ebola virus outbreak, with confirmed and probable cases reported in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. The CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Notice for Ebola in the DRC.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in North and South Kivu and Ituri provinces as U.S. government travel to these areas is restricted.