ALSO known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo should not be confused with its much larger neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire).

Congo is the fourth-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa and produces around 250,000 barrels a day.

Government income from the oil sector totalled $1 billion in 2004, 70 per cent of the state's total revenue, and was projected to rise to $1.2 billion in 2005.

Congo has a population of three million and with its substantial natural resources, it has the capacity to be a wealthy country.

However, those riches are not finding their way to most of its people, 70 per cent of whom live below the poverty line.

The UN's Human Development Index ranks Congo 142nd out of 177 countries surveyed and by the end of 2003 its national debt had reached $8.35 billion.

Corruption, as well as civil war, is widely considered to be a major factor in this dire economic situation.

Campaign group Global Witness published a report entitled, The Riddle of the Sphinx: Where Has Congo's Oil Money Gone?

It states: "The Republic of Congo provides a clear example of the way mismanagement of oil wealth not only fails to make countries richer, but can entrench corruption and instability."

Global corruption watchdog Transparency International ranks Congo at 2.3 in its Corruption Perception Index. Any score under three indicates "rampant corruption".

Congo is attempting to persuade its creditors, particularly the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that it should be given debt relief through the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) programme.

Writing in the New York Times, Jay Newman, who observed the Kensington case in London's High Court in which the Sphynx Bermuda connection was revealed, argued that Congo did not deserve to have its debt dropped.

"Debt can be a problem and debt forgiveness can be a solution, but not in places like the Congo," Mr. Newman wrote. "For places like this, corruption is the signal issue, the problem that dwarfs all others and makes all the goodwill in the world irrelevant."

He added that the Congo did not seem to be getting the message. "During UN meetings this September, the (President) Sassou-Nguesso entourage sojourned in New York. According to his hotel bill, his suite cost $8,500 per day (paid in cash), which is more than the average Congolese makes in a decade."

Mr. Newman also believes that those involved in helping corrupt governments in gaining illicit wealth should pay a price.

"Corrupt government leaders should be shunned," he wrote. "Not only must they be denied visas: Their domestic crimes should become federal offences.

"Even more important, anyone who enables and facilitates illegal practices should be held to account. Kleptocrats cannot achieve their goals in isolation. Isolating them is the key."