To affect something is to have an effect on it: Smoking can affect your health. To effect something is to make it happen: The doctor's treatment effected an immediate improvement in the patient's health. Affect is often used instead of effect, so take care when you are writing.
The small stars stand for the original provinces of Congo at independence in 1960. The single gold star was said to represent the light of civilization. Effective date: 17 May 1997.
