Kinshasa, June 22nd, 2025 (CPA).– A mission to monitor the sustainable management of forest resources was launched on Saturday in Mbandaka, in the province of Equateur, in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), by the Minister of State for the Environment and Sustainable Development, the CPA has learned from official sources.
‘This itinerant mission in the context of forest governance is part of an ongoing process of development and preservation of our ecosystems,’ said Eve Bazaïba, Minister of State for the Environment and Sustainable Development. According to the source, this visit will enable an assessment of the progress and challenges of ongoing projects, particularly those supported by international partners within the framework of REDD+, community conservation and the fight against illegal logging. ‘The Minister of State has planned to visit several major forest areas in the province, such as Basankusu, Bikoro and other strategic locations, in connection with conservation projects led in partnership with provincial authorities and technical and financial partners,’ the source said.
According to the Ministry in charge of Environment’s communications department, Ms Bazaiba will not simply be observing, but will also reaffirm a national commitment to preserving the Congolese forest heritage. This field mission sends a strong signal to local populations that the forests of Equateur have not been forgotten and must be managed sustainably for the benefit of all humanity. This mission is part of the Congolese government’s commitments to protect the forests of the Congo Basin, the planet’s second largest ecological lung. It also aims to strengthen collaboration between local entities, traditional structures, territorial administrations and civil society actors.