[2] In the subsequent Congo Crisis, Van den Bosch wanted to avoid a total administrative collapse and worked to ensure the retention of Belgian personnel in the civil service.

In doing so he established contacts with ONUC, Congolese ministers in favor of a strong relationship with Belgium, and certain ministries (namely Finance, Economic Affairs, and External Commerce).

[4] Relations between Belgium and the Congo quickly deteriorated, however, and van den Bosch was accused by the Congolese government of instigating unrest throughout the country.

He was ordered to be expelled from the Congo, but did not receive any notice until the morning of 9 August when a Congolese Foreign Ministry official informed him that he had until noon that day to leave.

Facing a large crowd of angry Congolese, van den Bosch left the Belgian embassy under the escort of United Nations peacekeepers to the docks, where he took a boat to Brazzaville and from there flew back to Belgium.