- Congo grants oil exploration permits in Conkouati-Douli National Park, sparking global environmental concern.
- Environmental groups and Congolese NGOs call for donors to suspend park conservation funding until oil permits are revoked.
- The decision threatens biodiversity and ecosystems crucial for local communities, including endangered species like western lowland gorillas and forest elephants.
The Republic of Congo’s recent decision to grant oil exploration permits within Conkouati-Douli National Park, its largest biodiversity reserve, has sparked an international outcry. Earlier this year, the permits were awarded for 26% of the park’s territory to Société Nationale des pétroles du Congo (SNPC) and Congo Holding United, a company majority-owned by China Oil Natural Gas Overseas Holding United.
Environmental organisations like Earth Insight and Greenpeace, alongside 13 Congolese NGOs, have urged donors to halt funding for park conservation until authorities revoke the oil exploration permit.
Stella Tchoukep, Forest Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, condemned the decision, warning that allowing oil activities in Conkouati-Douli directly threatens its tropical forests and diverse biodiversity. The park, spanning 5,000 km2, supports crucial ecosystems for local communities and endangered species such as western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, leatherback turtles, and forest elephants.
Established in 1999 and designated a Ramsar site, Conkouati-Douli National Park is vital within the Congo Basin for its ecological importance. Since April 2021, it has been co-managed by the French NGO Parcs de Noé and the Congolese government, with past involvement from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Conservation efforts in the park have received backing from the European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD).
This controversy arose amid the Congolese government signing a $50 million forest protection agreement at COP28 in Dubai, which underscored global commitments to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
Approximately 7,000 residents within the Conkouati oil block are expected to face environmental impacts from nearby oil extraction activities. The situation highlights a contentious debate between conservation priorities and economic interests in one of Africa’s most biodiverse regions.