The International Association of the Congo, also known as the International Congo Society (French: Association internationale du Congo), is an association founded on November 17, 1879, by Leopold II of Belgium to further his interests in the Congo.
It replaces the Belgian "Committee for the Study of the Upper Congo" (French: Comité d'études du Haut-Congo), which was part of the Association internationale africaine created for exploration of the Congo.
The goal of the International Congo Society is to establish control of the Congo basin and to exploit its economic resources.
The Berlin Conference recognizes the society as sovereign over the territories it controls and in 1885 its structures are acquired by the Congo Free State.
