Between integration and disintegration. The erratic trajectory of the Congolese army

This paper analyzes the history, underlying mechanisms and effects of never-ending military integration in the DR Congo. It also discusses the general nature and workings of the Congolese army (FARDC), including the causes of its weak combat performance. By firmly situating the FARDC within the Congolese state apparatus, it raises the question of how far an army can be reformed in the absence of wider reforms of the state in which it is mandated to serve.