DRC natural resources press review of Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Under the carbon credits backed by U.S. NGOs, the Observateur newspaper reported that millions of dollars will be awarded to residents of the Congolese forests and noted that U.S. environmental organizations have launched a project to provide carbon credits to people living in the region of the Congo Basin forests in the DRC. According to the newspaper, the program, which begins this year aims to help people in the Congo Basin forests to protect forests and biodiversity and the fight against deforestation.Returning to oil exploitation in the Virunga National Park, the Potentiel reports that WWF increases the pressionet writing that the DRC section of the international NGO WWF (World Wildlife Fund) railed against oil exploration permit granted the British company Soco, in the Virunga National Park, while the park is an area protégée.L NGO urges the Congolese government to enforce laws that prohibit the use of oil in areas protégées.René Ngongo coordinator this NGO in the DRC has recently denounced the continuation of oil exploitation permits 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. According to him, "this license is in contradiction not only with the Congolese laws, but also with the international commitments made by the DRC" with internationale.WWF community 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 another note, Radio Okapi announced that a priest produces bread with cassava at Kimpese in Bas- Congo and indicates that cassava bread was presented Monday, July 8 by Father Charles Kusika, its manufacturer. This bread is composed of 85% wheat flour and 15% manioc.D after Father Charles Kusika who runs the plant cassava, which makes this bread, this project will minimize the cost of importing wheat and allow the Congolese economy to win five hundred million U.S. dollars.

The biweekly the Maximum announces capturing in Goma twelve parcels of coltan and indicates that the package was seized by elements of the Border Police in a plot of a particular Mapendo neighborhood located near the border between the DRC and Rwanda.The same source reported that MIBA workers want a new management committee and the return of the system of subsidies paid monthly by the government. According to the newspaper, this call was made Friday, July 5, 2013 during a sit-in in front of the general direction of MIBA in Mbuji-Mayi. The newspaper Observateur points out, as a national heritage, massive Lovo are called to be protected and notes that in the context of research done on the rock art of massive Lovo Bas Congo, the Heimlich doctoral Geoffroy (French) and Clement Mambu Nsangathi (Head of Archaeology IMNC section), the Institute of National Museums of Congo (IMNC), held Friday, July 5 current scientific morning to educate the Congolese population to protect the massive art parietal rock Bas Congo and complex Lovo.This scientific morning was led by Geoffrey Heimlich, doctor of history and archeology, preparing his thesis on the rock art of massive Lovo Bas Congo. According to him, the DRC is a country in Central Africa and there is a significant disproportion of rock art, although it is also found in Bas-Congo, Katanga and Orientale Province. Rock art is all art produced by man on rocks, walls, caves, most often outdoors.In addition, Tempête des Tropiques newspaper confirms the inauguration yesterday Moanda, Bas-Congo, optical fiber and indicates that it is an investment of over U.S. $ 60 million that will allow the DRC to have true information highway with several benefits in terms of communication costs and other quality.

DRC natural resources press review of Monday; July 8, 2013

The press today is poor information on natural resources. Note however that Radio Okapi informed that "one of the main habitats of elephants Virunga National Park is almost completely deforested in recent weeks. It is located between Kahunga and Mabenga, about 90 kilometers north of Goma in North Kivu. Some sources on site accuse local customary frameworks, in complicity with the rebels M23, organize this deforestation. "
UN radio reports that since the occupation of this part of Rutshuru territory by the rebels, officials ICCN say they do control more than 25%. Hundreds of trees whose leaves were food for the elephants were slaughtered for use in the manufacture of charcoal in the area Kahunga.
For its part, the newspaper Tempête des Tropiques announced that Joseph Kabila inaugurated on Monday in the coastal town of Moanda, in the province of Bas-Congo, DRC connection to the optical fiber.

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.

DRC natural resources press review of Thursday, July 4, 2013

The question of Virunga returns again appeared in the press this morning. The Phare newspaper believes that the "Virunga National Park is threatened by political issues." The tabloid began by recalling that the Congolese Nature Conservation Institute (ICCN) launched on 25 June 2013, a large-scale eviction of illegal occupants of the park in the area Kasindi Lubiriha and Kambo, North Kivu (...). in order not to surprise their good faith in applying the laws of the Republic and international conventions on the protection of the world heritage, he was granted a moratorium of two months, with an extension of two weeks after its expiration. In addition, an awareness campaign was conducted previously on the need to preserve rare plant and animal species that abound the Virunga National Park. The newspaper said that "to believe the information flow through the territory of Beni in general and sector Kasindi Lubiriha Kambo and particularly malicious politicians would like to serve farmers and invaders Virunga as background Commercial for future campaign on elections of provincial deputies, senators, governors of provinces, mayors and heads and sectors. Also for the purpose of pretending to be lawyers and protecting indigenous, they distilled the news that the ICCN rangers have driven Congolese citizens of Virunga National Park and forced them into exile in Uganda. The case caused a stir in political circles Beni and Kinshasa but after checking, it was found no native has crossed the Congo-Uganda border and everything is back to normal after the incident of June 26, 2013. "On another matter, the Okapi radio informs that "a cargo of timber species endangered in the DRC has been found in a processing plant in the Czech Republic," according to a statement released by Greenpeace on July 1. This wood would be shot in Equateur province with an industrial permit, deemed illegal by the independent monitoring of forests. According to investigations by Greenpeace International, it is an illegal cargo of wood Wenge, an endangered species. This wood come from the concession Bakri Wood Corporation (BBC), based in Equateur province. This wood has remained for more than a month at the port of Antwerp, before being sold and transferred to the Czech Republic. It is owned by the Swiss group Danzer, according to the same press Greenpeace. Greenpeace calls on the Czech authorities to seize timber and investigate practices Danzer.The same radio reports that "unknown persons set fire to more than forty acres of forest Tuesday, July 2 in groups and Bwegera Luvungi in the Ruzizi plain, center in Uvira (South Kivu)." According to the supervisor of the environment, nature conservation, water and forests, Herman Mushombe, the authors of these fires could be farmers, ranchers or members of armed groups. They light fires at night to avoid getting caught by the authorities, he said.Radio Okapi also announced that "elephants ravaged homes and fields in the territory of Bukama in Katanga province leaving people homeless and without a source of income." Last week, they ravaged the fields in three villages. Since the month of January 2013, more than 8,000 casualties were recorded in Bukama and 3775 hectares of fields were ravaged in four groups of chiefdom Kinkodja, said the head of department of Humanitarian Affairs Bukama, Chirac Monga Ngoy.

DRC natural resources press review of Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The Observateur newspaper reported insurance of Banro CO to Matata Ponyo stay in Maniema and notes that prelude the launch activities of the mining company Banro corporation Namoya in Kabambare territory in Maniema Province, a session of preparatory work has met the staff of the company and the governor of the province of Maniema. It was around the Prime Minister Matata Ponyo yesterday Tuesday, July 2 at the Hotel Provincial Government in Kindu.On this occasion, Matata Ponyo Mapon has, once again, demonstrated the full support of his government to the private sector he has always insisted that it is the engine of growth and the creation of wealth and jobs. The Prime Minister insisted that the Banro Co. works conscientiously and especially in strict compliance with the laws of the Democratic Republic of Congo and transparency.For his part, the CEO of Banro Co. DRC, Mr. Desire Sangara stressed that the Prime Minister has encouraged the company to continue to work towards their goals into production at the end of this year and work so that all parties involved in this project benefit. Clearly, it is for the private Matata Ponyo is the Namoya Mining, one of four subsidiaries of Banro Corporation in the DRC can make a profit and make money, but that people can also be found through projects social.In addition, Mr. Desire Sangara announced the release of the first ingot plant Namoya Mining the end of 2013. He added that the production of known site Namoya deposits is estimated at 300 pounds per month. That is why the company does not intend to stop in so good way. The exploration will continue to expand the fields in order to replace those that exist and will run out with new ones.Returning to the panel discussion held in late June at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Kinshasa on the revival of Gecamines, the newspaper Forum des As quoted Ahmed Kalej, ADG of Gecamines, informs that it takes more or less $ 2.5 billion to boost Gécamines and make it competitive on the global stage. Resources that are not yet available. Talks are underway with partners to achieve this project materialize.Speaking of theft of Virunga, the Prosperité newspaper wonders if "the head of the DG of ICCN is a price." The newspaper notes: "The two-month period granted to illegal farmers in Virunga Park was almost at the base of clashes between on the one hand, the park ranger and, on the other hand, the population in the area of Kambo, and Kasindi Lubiriha. Information, delivered clearly to harm, reported the crossing of the population in Uganda, eventually proved false. The plot was the work of some MPs and politicians in the area aimed at discrediting the Director General of the ICCN, pastor Cosma Wilungula, fiercely loyal to the recommendations of the government and the protection of the laws of the Republic and the international standards of the World Heritage Site.Radio Okapi reported that tobacco growing is the basis of desertification currently threatening the community of Kakwa located in Aru, Eastern Province. Many food crops and insect species will disappear. These facts were revealed after research conducted by Jean-Marie Nyolo Biotechnology engineer. He published the results of this study to Ingbokolo Sunday, June 30, the capital of the community Kakwa, border between the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.One hundred participants attended the conference to present the results of the study. Among them, the employees of companies that buy and export tobacco in the region. Jean-Marie Nyolo them arrested on the threat posed by certain practices that accompany tobacco growing for environmental future of this part of the country. Savannah has already replaced the forest all around the major cities of this part of the Eastern Province, especially around the region from Ingokono to Ahuzi said the engineer in biotechnology.The Observateur newspaper reports that Theophilus Ntela Lungumba, coordinator of the Cell infrastructure of the Ministry of Planning, Urban Development, Housing, Infrastructure, Public Works and Reconstruction proceeded yesterday, Tuesday, July 02, at the Bethany Centre in Gombe, to the opening of a training session "Environmental and Social Management in the Project Pro-roads." This 4-day seminar via the 2 to 5 July 2013 and for the "environmentalists" is a score, from different departments (Environment Nature Conservation and Tourism, Planning, Urban Development, Housing Facilities, Construction and Reconstruction), the control tasks, project managers and businesses. During these four days, the participants in this session will impregnate "Foundations of environmental assessments," the "Environmental Policy and Social Protection of the World Bank" by Paul. A Turcotte, the "legal and institutional framework for environmental management DRC" by A. Kilubi during the first day. The second day of the training session, participants will discover "documents the implementation of policies for environmental and social safeguards (ESMF, ARE, ESMP, CPRI, PAR, CPPA, ASF ...), environmental and social clauses and documentation.Moreover, with the title "decentralization or the shadow of the implosion of the DRC ', the newspaper the Potentiel says that the scaffolding erroneous theories multiplied in the West about the future of the Democratic Republic of Congo as a state . within its 2,345,000 km ² Everyone has his analysis, constantly changing approach, adding subtle improvements in order to achieve a single purpose:. implosion of the DRC process of sustained decentralization head-on-body development partners fit into this strategy. traps are tight everywhere, all-round vigilance is required! Only the people mobilized and determined, can thwart the traps of evil.

DRC natural resources press review of Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The biweekly Maximum the announcement that the DRC is the bar of 100,000 tons of copper in 2015 and notes that after having for many years influenced by production increased to 486,000 tonnes in 1984 before falling to 7,700 tons in 2004, DRC is organized to bounce on the copper market it plans to supply it with 100,000 tons in 2015, illustration of a policy to boost the industry running.The same newspaper also reports that, in the case of forgery and money laundering MIBA, Jean-Charles Okoto, Belgolaise and the BBC paid to Brussels. According to the newspaper, Belgolaise and the Central Bank of Congo (BCC) who were prosecuted for forgery, forgery, money laundering and embezzlement, were acquitted by the criminal court of Brussels. Suspicion of forgery, forgery and money laundering related to a series of ordersRadio Okapi reported on the other hand there have been six deaths in conflict management of a lake Dimbelenge in Kasai-Occidental and indicates that six people were killed and several others injured, Saturday, June 29, in the course of a clash between Bakwa Lukusa and Bena Tshipidimba in territory Dimbelenge (Kasai Occidental). These two people are fighting for years managing Faith lake, say local sources. Several people fled into the bush to get away from this conflict.Notable Tshipidimba refuses that "taxes" paid by fishermen who do their business on the lake are seen the Faith Bakwa Lukusa. An argument between two people from two different groups that fought the management of these costs escalated into widespread conflict. Police were deployed on the same day, on-site to restore order. The governor of Kasai Occidental, Alex Kande Mupompa also visited the place where he called on the two groups to peaceful coexistence.The same radio also reported that nine people drowned in the river Mpozo at the entrance of the city of Matadi in the Bas-Congo province, between April and June, said Sunday, June 30 at the local press Provincial Coordinator of the new Civil Society. According to Jonas Lukoki, victims, mostly children, will regularly draw water in the river due to lack of drinking water in their neighborhoods. He called the provincial authorities and the board of water supply (Regideso) to quickly find solutions to put an end to "this disaster."