DRC natural resources press review of Friday, July 26, 2013

The Potentiel newspaper reports that the Prime Minister, Augustin Matata Ponyo, yesterday granted a hearing Thursday to Jamal Saghir, Director, Department of Sustainable Development for the Africa Region of the World Bank. The Grand Inga project, for which the world mobilizes to implement in the province of Bas-Congo (western DRC), has been the focus of the meeting. According to the newspaper, the subject is identified as a priority for the World Bank to the point that the DRC has delegated one of its experts to meet with the decision-making bodies of the Congolese government. As for the content of discussions with the head of government, the newspaper said Jamal Saghir has sought reassurance: "We discussed with the Prime Minister how this site will be developed. What is the support of the World Bank and other donors? What are those in the private sector? ". He said that the World Bank is seeking the government's "roadmap in which we operate"

The same newspaper informs that the European Union welcomes the work of the members of the ICGLR and the secretariat in the implementation of the "Protocol against the illegal exploitation of natural resources," states under the "Pact on Security, stability and development. " The statement of Jean-Michel Dumond, EU Ambassador to the DRC, at the end of the regional workshop on the launch of the certificate ICGLR-DRC. The paper recalls that the DRC officially launched its certificate ICGLR-DRC at the end of a regional workshop, Thursday, July 24, at the Grand Hotel Kinshasa. Congratulating the ICGLR member states, the EU ambassador noted that adopting and ratifying the Protocol, countries have recognized the existence of links between the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the Great Lakes region and armed conflict who remain.

For its part, Radio Okapi reported that more than 700 hectares of forest were cleared between 2010 and 2012 in the territory of Luilu Kasai Oriental. The manager of the environment and nature conservation planning Luilu Jean Kabwe stated Wednesday, July 24 during a press briefing. He believes that deforestation has led to a climate perturbation in the territory, resulting in the decline in agricultural production. A Luilu, deforestation is particularly caused by wild tree cutting. Its consequences are felt on agricultural production of farmers, said the head of the department of environment and conservation planning Luilu.The rains have become irregular in these areas, so much so that farmers no longer have mastered the agricultural calendar. Between the first rain of the season and second, it takes three to four weeks, instead of ten days at the most as usual.