Africa has long been a nation of strife and strife. Some countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have a long history of corrupt leaders, violence and lack of resources. These conflicts can often lead to spillovers and create wars in neighboring countries. When a weak state experiences internal conflict, it often spreads to surrounding weak states, as was the case for many Central African countries. This type of crisis will often involve the entire world in various areas such as the military, foreign aid, and the global economy. The Congo in particular has proven to create problems that continue to persist in the modern world and this is due in large part to the leadership of Motubu Sese Seko. “The conflict [in Congo] has produced enormous carnage: up to 3.8 million dead and many more injured or displaced. Both phases of the war (1996-97 and 1998-2002) involved domestic militias, a massive foreign invasion and shifting alliances – with Angola, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe playing major roles. Even though the conflict is officially over, peace remains elusive” (Atzili 2007, p. 141). One player's internal conflicts spread across an entire continent, affected the entire world, and caused enormous damage. All countries must strive to maintain strong institutions to be good global citizens and one of the keys to achieving this is leadership. When the Congo gained independence from Belgium, it struggled to develop and remained a weak state. Many factors have prevented Congo from progressing and creating strong institutions within its country's borders. “Political divisions along ethnic lines were widespread, although this fact could be misleading. Ethnicity became the main source of political mobilization in the middle of paper, which in turn spread to the countries around them. This violence was also encouraged by Mobutu himself, which not only perpetuated the conflicts but also set a terrible example. The whole world was involved in many different capacities and millions of people died. Works Cited Atzili, Boaz. (2007). When good fences make bad neighbors: fixed borders, state weakness and international conflicts. International security. 31 (3), p139-173. Buhaug, Halvard. (2008). Contagion or confusion? Why conflicts cluster in space. International Studies Quarterly. 52 (1), p215-233. Emizet, Kisangani NF. (2000). Explaining the rise and fall of military regimes: civil-military relations in the Congo. Armed forces and society. 26 (2), p203-227. (2010). Mobutu Sese Seko. Available: http://search.eb.com.library3.webster.edu/eb/article-9053119. Last seen on March 28 2010.