The case study unit on DRC will have its ‘local base’ with the POLE Institute (Goma, DRC). Created in 1997 in the depth of war, the Pole Institute is an intercultural Congolese research institute based in Goma (North Kivu). Focusing on peace issues in a multidisciplinary way, Pole integrate in his work political, economical and sociological dimensions such as governance, natural resources, security, identity and traditional values, etc. Analysing the dynamics of war and the peace process in DR Congo from its beginning, Pole has developed a great expertise in the identification and reflection on the main problems faced by the country in the last ten years. Following the objective to reinforce the capacity of the Congolese civil society to analyze his political environment, the institute has built a great number of collaborations with local actors such as local NGO's, churches, ethnical community leaders, but also with international actors such as the Tufts University of Boston or the UK NGO International Alert, which give him both a privileged access to grassroots information and a global overview of the topics. To reach his purpose, Pole share his analysis with these actors through publications and regular forums and seminars which had made his well-known regional reputation.