Kinshasa, July 5th, 2026 (CPA). – The Congolese Association for the Environment and Human Rights (ACEDH) has called for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry to determine the causes of the stranding and subsequent death of a whale on Moanda beach, in Kongo Central province (south-west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo), according to a press release received on Sunday by CPA.
“The cetacean was stranded between July 1st and 3rd, 2026 on the Moanda coastline, the main site of offshore oil exploration and production activities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (…) in light of the facts and arguments set out above, as set out, and given the urgency and necessity of the matter, ACEDH makes the following recommendations: to establish a genuinely independent international commission of inquiry comprising only renowned scientists to determine the actual causes of this species’ stranding and to establish the relevant responsibilities,” it is read.
ACEDH has considered it premature to establish a direct link between this incident and the activities of the oil company Perenco RDC. However, it has invited the authorities to examine several possible explanations for the stranding, including potential seismic vibrations linked to drilling operations, as well as the impacts of water and soil pollution. In the document, the organisation has also pleaded for a consultative framework bringing together public authorities, scientists and civil society to ensure that the recommendations arising from the environmental audit are followed up, before urging the authorities to make the environmental audit report public, arguing that its publication would contribute to upholding the principles of transparency and the right to information of the communities concerned.
According to the source, the organisation has reminded that an environmental audit carried out in June 2026 at the Government’s request had reportedly identified soil and water contamination as well as damage to biodiversity in the Moanda region. Furthermore, ACEDH has emphasised in the press release that attempts to rescue the animal had been unsuccessful due to the lack of logistical and technical resources made available to the nature conservation authorities. The organisation has reminded us that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a party to several international conventions relating to the protection of the marine environment and migratory species, which, amongst other things, require monitoring measures and investigations in the event of unusual wildlife mortality. CPA/