Teeven returns from Congo without adopted children

State Secretary Fred Teeven of Security and Justice returned from Congo empty handed. He was there to pick up children adopted by couples in the Netherlands. Congo still refuses to let the 30 adopted children go to the Netherlands, the Volkskrant reports. Teeven only got a promise that the adoption process does not have to be started again. Teeven traveled to Congo to negotiate for the Dutch couples. In some cases they have been waiting for two years for a child that they have adopted. In September 2013 Congo decided to suspend all foreign adoptions, even if the adoptions were already approved. The country did this to prevent children being placed with other parents than agreed. Congo has strict requirements for foreign adoptions. For example, adopted children may only be placed with heterosexual couples that have been married for at least five years.