50 CDF #124

Front

Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), a forest giraffe endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ituri Rainforest. The okapi was unknown to Western science until 1901 and has become a national symbol of the DRC, representing the country's unique biodiversity and natural heritage. The animal appears in profile at left, with the Banque Centrale du Congo emblem at center showing the okapi symbol within a stylized design.

Back

A traditional fishing village on the banks of the Congo River, identified by the inscription 'UN VILLAGE DE PÊCHEURS AU BORD DU FLEUVE CONGO' (A fishing village on the banks of the Congo River). The scene depicts traditional stilt houses with thatched roofs along the riverbank, with canoes and fishing nets visible, representing the artisanal fishing communities that have subsisted along the Congo River for centuries. The text 'MAKUMI TANO' (fifty in Lingala) appears at lower right.

History

This note belongs to the Franc Congolais series issued from 2003-2013 following the replacement of the Nouveau Zaïre in 1998. The franc congolais was reintroduced to stabilize the economy after years of hyperinflation and conflict during the Mobutu era and subsequent wars. The 2007 issue date places it during the transitional period after the formal end of the Second Congo War. The okapi, featured prominently on multiple denominations, serves as a powerful national emblem of Congolese natural heritage. This series was eventually replaced by revised designs starting in 2012-2013 with enhanced security features.