Programme description

Title: Conservation of biodiversity and sustainable forest management
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Lead executing agency: Ministère de l’Environnement, Conservation de la Nature et Tourisme (MECNT)
Overall term: 2005 to 2013

Context

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s primeval forest, one of the largest uninterrupted tropical forest areas in Africa, is precious – not only because of the biodiversity of its flora and fauna but also because it plays an important role in stabilising the earth’s climate. However, this tropical forest in the middle of Africa, also known as the ‘green lung’, is threatened by overexploitation, hunting and slash-and-burn agriculture.

Part of this tropical forest has been placed under protection in national parks. The parks have suffered greatly, however, from the violent conflicts in the area. Illegal logging, mining for natural resources such as coltan, slash-and-burn agriculture and poaching practised by the rebels and members of the regular army – and also by people living near the forest – are everyday occurrences.

At present, however, the Ministry of Environment and the nature conservation authority have at their disposal neither an adequate institutional foundation nor concepts suitable for preserving the forest and its biodiversity.

Objective

The national and decentralised institutions responsible for nature conservation in the DR Congo are better performing their roles and tasks in maintaining the integrity of protected areas and their biodiversity.

Approach

The programme offers advisory services and assistance at different levels within the framework of a multi-donor programme. At regional level, it promotes integration within the framework of the Convergence Plan of the Central African Forests Commission (Commission des Forêts d'Afrique Central – COMIFAC). At central government level, the programme supports the Ministry of Environment in the continuance and implementation of national environmental protection and forest policies and provides the nature conservation authority with technical, organisational and financial advisory services.

The programme is operating in two protected areas. These are the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and the Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the east of the country, where GIZ (until January 2011, GTZ) has been providing the park administration with consultancy on park management and general management issues since 1986. In addition, the programme supports the introduction of forest concessions (areas where logging is permitted) certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and based on sustainable forest management principles.

Results achieved so far

The support given to Kahuzi-Biega National Park over the years has helped to secure its integrity and see it through times of crisis. As a result of intensive efforts to raise awareness among the local population, they now both recognise and accept the park. In addition, despite extensive internal and financial problems, the nature conservation authority has implemented a reform process. Experts and managers have received training and are now performing better in their roles. Conditions within the Ministry of Environment have also improved considerably. More than 600 staff members have attended training sessions and grants have been provided for 70 trainee forest engineers. Good working conditions have been established for some of the staff in Kinshasa. In 2009, progress was made in a number of important political processes, e.g. the conversion process for forest concessions and ratification of the COMIFAC Treaty.