Kinshasa, October 29th, 2025 (CPA). – The oil exploitation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must be rethought in light of human rights, climate justice and sustainable development, said the coordinator of the NGO Initiative for Sustainable Environmental Management and the Defence of Human Rights (IGED) during an interview in Kinshasa, the country’s capital, on Wednesday.
‘The oil exploitation in DRC must be rethought in light of human rights, climate justice and sustainable development. It is urgent to opt for inclusive, ecologically viable and socially just models for local communities and indigenous peoples,’ has declared Jean-Robert Bowela, coordinator of IGED. He has explained that the oil exploitation must not be carried out at the expense of life, the environment and the rights of communities, adding that sustainable development in DRC is possible if people and nature are placed at the centre of political and economic decisions.
« Speaking about the challenges associated with oil exploitation, he has cited massive deforestation in exploitation areas and loss of biodiversity (sensitive ecosystems such as the threatened Virunga Park), pollution of water, soil and the atmosphere, disruption of fragile ecosystems (forests, wetlands, savannahs), increased greenhouse gas emissions despite DRC’s commitment to the Paris Agreement, and increased risks of natural disasters (floods, erosion, gas leaks, etc.), » he has said.
To this end, Mr. Bowela has recommended that managers establish inclusive governance of natural resources involving local communities and indigenous Pygmy peoples, strengthen environmental and social impact studies with citizen involvement, prioritise renewable energies as a sustainable alternative, strengthen legislation on community land and forest rights, and protect sensitive areas (such as parks and primary forests) from any form of oil exploitation. CPA/