Kinshasa, June 17th, 2025 (CPA).- The population of Muanda, in the province of Kongo Central, south-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has been sensitise on Monday of the missions assigned to the National Forest Fund (FFN) by its acting General Director, CPA has learned on Tuesday from a press release from the FFN. ‘I am accompanied here in Muanda by a large delegation including, among others, the advisor to the Minister in charge of Environment and Sustainable Development in charge of reforestation, with the aim of sensitising the population of the missions assigned to the FFN, which consist in particular of ensuring the financing of reforestation and forest management operations and any operation likely to contribute to the reconstruction of forest capital,’ has declared Assani Ongala Hassan, Acting General Director of the FFN.
The Acting General Director of the FFN has explained that his touring mission also consists of revitalising the provincial branch of this public institution so that it can breathe new life into the province of Kongo Central. Accompanied by the administrator of the Muanda territory, the Acting General Director of the FFN has visited the port of ‘Bakuyanga’ through which timber is exported, in order to familiarise himself with the legality of exports and the identification of industrial operators. The FFN collects the reforestation tax on exported timber.
The acting General of Director of the FFN has also made some relevant observations to the representative of the General of Direction of Customs and Excise (DGDA). ‘We have, for example, spoken to him of the collaboration between this financial authority and the FFN, in the spirit of the memorandum of understanding that binds the two entities,’ he has indicated.
Before concluding the Muanda stage, Mr Ongala has also talked with the Director of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), which is responsible for the mangrove marine park. ‘Our discussions have focused in particular on the possibility of the FFN financing the restoration of this unique and rare ecosystem, which is in danger of disappearing,’ he has said.
The mission of the FFN’s Acting General Director is set to continue in this part of the DRC, where he and his delegation have been invited to visit the Perenco oil company in Banana.