DRC natural resources press review of Friday, July 5, 2013

"The minerals and other natural resources in contrast to the human suffering," these words are of James Entwistle, the U.S. ambassador in the DRC arrived late term, and were delivered at the celebration of the 237th celebration of the Independence of the United States. The Phare newspaper reports that the about these notes: ". Yet minerals and other natural resources in contrast to the human suffering that are too common across the country This" Congolese conflict "has never been so blatant that in the trip I made in Mbuji-Mayi. space of an afternoon, I visited both what is perhaps one of the richest mines of diamonds in the world and a hospital located in the area where I visited malnourished children. incredible natural wealth of this country will have at the end of the day meaning that if they are used to improve the well-being of the Congolese people, because in Ultimately the human capital of Congo is far more important than any economic resource. "Remain in the diamond sector to report that, according to the biweekly Congo News, there is "the unfulfilled promise of President Joseph Kabila of the MIBA." The newspaper wrote: "The President of the Republic, Joseph Kabila promised in November 2009, government intervention up to 20 million U.S. dollars by the end of 2009 or at the latest during the year 2010. MIBA had received a faction in the amount of 10 million U.S. dollars disbursed by the Government. All 10 million forecast was finally paid in several installments MIBA. The second part of the amount provided that is to say, the remaining 10 million dollars, is still pending until now. According to informed sources, MIBA does not recognize conceding the second tranche of government housing. "Also in the diamond industry, the daily Tempête des Tropiques announces that "experts denounce recovery" brutal "taxes in counters diamond Kananga." The newspaper notes that "experts in economics and finance from Kananga (Kasai Occidental) together in a platform condemning the brutality with which officials of tax authorities collect taxes and other taxes on economic operators involved in the diamond sector. In a statement to the press on Wednesday, July 3, the spokesman of the platform, Albert Usotshika has also asked officials counters diamonds to pay their taxes without resistance. "The Virunga National Park continues to make news, Radio Okapi reports that "the international NGO WWF calls on the Congolese government to enforce laws that prohibit the exploitation of oil in protected areas. In this regard, Ngongo , coordinator of the NGO in the DRC denounced Thursday, July 4, the exploitation of oil allowed in the Virunga National Park awarded to the British company SOCO International. " "Soco received government permits to explore in block 5, which covers about 85% of the Virunga National Park. This is a license that is [issued] by the competent authorities, "said Ngongo. For him, "the permit contradicts not only the Congolese laws, but [with] the commitments made by the DRC" with the international community.WWF has also "urged the Congolese government to take into account the laws of the DRC", especially on the conservation of nature, which prohibits any activity likely to harm the environment.On the same issue, the newspaper L'Avenir says "This international NGO for the protection of nature, recommends that the Government of the Republic of enforcing laws and regulations that prohibit harmful activities to the environment, such as exploration and oil exploration in protected areas, including in the Virunga in the DRC. This reinforces the call of sixty representatives of communities along the Virunga National Park gathered from 13 to 15 June 2013 in Butembo in the province of North Kivu.WWF therefore calls on the British company Soco International PLC to join the Total commitment not to carry out oil exploration within the current boundaries of the Park. In addition, WWF asks Soco and Total's overall commitment to never explore or exploit the oil resources of any sites listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.Radio Okapi reported that "three fishermen have been killed since January on Lake Kivu by pirates from Rwanda, said Wednesday, July 3, Muzungu Makungu, Chair of the fishermen port-Kabuchanga Goma. According He said the attackers also carried over the same period, the material work of many fishermen whose cost is estimated at 84,000 U.S. dollars.UN radio also reported that "more than ninety families of chimpanzees and twenty families of gorillas were killed in five years in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Orientale Province. Director the NGO Conservation Jane Goodall Institute stated Wednesday, April 2 in Goma (North Kivu) during a workshop presentation of the 2012-2022 Action Plan for the conservation of great apes. Dario Kasuku urged state authorities to get involved in the conservation of nature. According to director Jane Goodall Institute, the slaughter of great apes is primarily intended for the traffic of their children. "According to a study conducted in several countries, for monkey found in an urban center, there are about a hundred who were massacred. So at the sanctuary Luiro, there were fifty-four chimpanzee babies in five years. At Bili, Eastern Province We have already captured over thirty-eight baby chimpanzees. Now regarding gorillas Grawers that concern us in this action plan at the shrine of Kazuo, a fortnight ago of baby gorillas " he explained.On another note, the newspaper L'Avenir informs that "today in Kisangani, the Governor of the Eastern Province, Jean Bamanisa as the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation, Mr. Jean-Pascal Labille inaugurate officially the hydroelectric Tshopo. As the result of cooperation between the DRC and the Kingdom of Belgium, the rehabilitation of the plant and its distribution network was co-financed by the governments of both countries. And execution project was entrusted to the BTC, Belgian Development Agency, through AFEK project (Support for the supply of electricity to the city of Kisangani).Built on the river of the same name, this plant is the largest hydroelectric dam operating in this province. It was damaged during the rebellion from 1964 to 1967 before being rehabilitated. To believe the press release we managed by BTC, the rehabilitation of hydroelectric Tshopo were intended to improve the production, distribution and management of electrical energy in the capital of Orientale province. And the same statement continues, the results obtained on the date of closing of AFEK project, reported a substantial increase in the production of electricity by about 50 percent (or 13 MW to 19.65 MW) and the connection network of 8,000 new domestic subscribers in the city of Kisangani, capital of Orientale Province.The statement said that the contribution of the Kingdom of Belgium to the rehabilitation of the hydroelectric Tshopo is 16.5 million euros. That of the DR Congo is 1.9 million U.S. dollars. This makes a total budget of just over 21 million U.S. dollars.