VZCZCXRO9482
OO RUEHAG RUEHAO RUEHAP RUEHAT RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHBL RUEHBZ RUEHCD
RUEHCHI RUEHCI RUEHCN RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDT RUEHDU RUEHED RUEHEL
RUEHFK RUEHFL RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHGR RUEHHA RUEHHM RUEHHO
RUEHHT RUEHIHL RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHJS RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHKSO RUEHKUK
RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMC RUEHMJ RUEHMR RUEHMRE
RUEHMT RUEHNAG RUEHNG RUEHNH RUEHNL RUEHNP RUEHNZ RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHPD
RUEHPOD RUEHPT RUEHPW RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHRS
RUEHTM RUEHTRO RUEHVC RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHC #6029/01 3042054
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 302045Z OCT 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 3841
INFO RUESBKC/ATO ASIA IMMEDIATE 1748
RUEHFSI/DIR FSINFATC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 1963
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA IMMEDIATE 7072
RUCPDOC/ALL USDOC DISTDIR COLLECTIVE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/CDRAMC FT BELVOIR VA//AMCMI-SS// IMMEDIATE
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//XOXXI// IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/HQ AFOSI DOQ ANDREWS AFB MD//IVOA// IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC//ACI-400// IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/COMNAVAIRSYSCOM PATUXENT RIVER MD//AIR1031B// IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/NRC WASHINGTON DC//INFOSEC// IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2-JIT// IMMEDIATE
RUCPCIM/CIM NTDB WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/COGARD INTELCOORDCEN WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 116029 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC PTER ASEC CG
SUBJECT: TRAVEL WARNING - CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF 
THE 
 
¶1.  The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the 
risks of traveling to the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo (Congo-Kinshasa), and recommends against all travel 
to North Kivu province.  This replaces the Travel Warning 
dated July 23, 2008 to note the deterioration in the 
security situation in North Kivu. 
 
¶2.  Conditions within certain regions of the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo (DRC), particularly in the east, 
remain dangerous.  Official personnel from the U.S. 
Embassy in Kinshasa are restricted from travel to North 
Kivu unless the travel is for official business and has 
been specifically authorized by the Embassy.  On October 
29, 2008, all U.S. Government personnel who had been 
present in the city of Goma relocated temporarily to the 
Rwandan town of Gisenyi, directly across the border. 
American citizens should avoid travel to Goma and 
surrounding areas, and those who are there are urged to 
depart.  Fighting between armed rebels, Congolese 
military forces, and U.N. peacekeeping troops has 
increased in the province of North Kivu and continues in 
the provinces of South Kivu, Orientale, northern Katanga, 
and sporadically in Bas Congo.  Armed groups as well as 
active duty and demobilized Congolese troops in parts of 
the country are known to pillage, carjack, and steal 
vehicles, kill extra-judicially, rape, kidnap, and carry 
out military or paramilitary operations.  Government 
soldiers, as well as rebel fighters expected to be 
demobilized as a result of ongoing peace processes, 
remain a security concern.  Travelers are frequently 
detained and questioned by poorly disciplined security 
forces at numerous roadblocks and border crossings 
throughout the country. 
 
¶3.  Travelers to the DRC frequently experience 
difficulties at the airport and other ports of entry, 
such as temporary detention, passport confiscation, and 
demands by immigration and security personnel for 
unofficial "special fees."  Visas are not available at 
ports of entry.  All resident foreigners, including 
Americans, are required to register at the office of the 
Direction General de Migration (DGM) in the commune of 
their place of residence.  Border closures of 24-48 hour 
durations can occur without much advance notice. 
 
¶4.  Enforcement of aviation safety standards in the DRC 
is uneven, with frequent incidents and crashes.  The U.S. 
Embassy has prohibited official travel by U.S. government 
employees and contractors on all DRC-owned and operated 
commercial airlines due to safety and maintenance 
concerns.  International flights on foreign-owned and - 
operated carriers are not affected by this notice. 
 
¶5.  American citizens should avoid all public 
demonstrations and areas where crowds have gathered, 
exercise caution, and closely monitor local and 
international news from reliable sources.  Radio Okapi 
broadcasts in French on 103.5 FM at 0700, 0800, 1200, and 
1800 as well as "flash" updates throughout the day. 
English-language news can be found on BBC at 92.7 FM.  In 
times of emergency, the Belgian Embassy operates a 
French-language radio broadcast system at FM 98.8. 
Changes in security conditions may occasionally restrict 
the travel of U.S. Mission personnel. 
 
¶6.  Public Health concerns also pose a hazard to U.S. 
citizen travelers due to outbreaks of deadly viruses and 
other diseases, which can occur without warning and often 
are not rapidly reported by local health 
authorities.  Information on personal protection for 
 
STATE 00116029  002 OF 002 
 
 
international travelers, including children, can be found 
at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel. 
 
¶7.  U.S. citizens who travel to or remain in the DRC 
despite this Travel Warning are strongly urged to 
register with the Embassy in Kinshasa or through the 
State Department's travel registration website at 
https://travelregistration.state.gov.  By registering, 
American citizens make it easier for the Embassy to 
contact them in case of emergency.  The U.S. Embassy is 
located at 310 Avenue des Aviateurs; the Consular Section 
entrance is located on Avenue Dumi, opposite Saint Anne's 
Residence.  The Embassy's 24-hour phone number is 243-81- 
225-5872; callers within DRC should dial 081-225-5872. 
All Embassy telephone numbers are cellular phones as 
landlines are unreliable.  The Embassy website is 
http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov. 
 
¶8. U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of 
State's Country Specific Information for the Democratic 
Republic of the Congo and the Worldwide Caution, both 
located on the Department's Internet website at 
http://travel.state.gov.  Up-to-date information on 
safety and security is available toll-free at 1-888-407- 
4747 from within the United States and Canada, or at 
regular toll rates at 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside 
the United States and Canada, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal 
holidays). 
 
 
¶9. Minimize considered. 
RICE