DRC: the damning report of the IGF on the allocation of forest concessions

A gorilla in Kahuzi Biega Park in northeastern DRC in 2019. AFP - ALEXIS HUGUET

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Civil society is still awaiting the publication of the IGF report on the legality of forest concession allocations.

Commissioned by the Prime Minister at the time, it was carried out in 2020, but is still confidential at this stage.

However, when signing the renewal of the agreement with the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), a group of donor countries, Félix Tshisekedi undertook to make it public even before the end of the year. year 2021. RFI had access to this document. 

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With our correspondent in Kinshasa,

The report of the General Inspectorate of Finance overwhelms the forestry administration and the ministers who have managed the environment sector for nearly 20 years.

The investigators note, for example, that the allocations of forest concessions were made in opacity.

According to this report, over-the-counter remained the only method of acquiring forest concessions for almost 20 years, instead of auctioning as required by the forest code.

Moreover, these acquisitions were carried out, underlines the General Inspectorate of Finance, despite the moratorium on the granting of forest titles instituted in May 2002 and reinforced in 2005. Several dozen titles would have been issued in violation of this moratorium .

The investigators cite, for example, the case of a company not included on the list of entities registered in the commercial register which would have acquired a dozen concessions.

All in violation of the forest code.

There is also the granting of several titles under cover of transfer authorizations without payment of duties due to the State.

The IGF report points the finger at the forestry administration, the former ministers of the environment, but also the financial authorities.

The investigators thus recommend the suspension of any new attribution of forest concession until the total cleaning up of the sector.

For his part, Félix Tshisekedi had ordered, in October 2021, the suspension of any “doubtful” contract, but very few companies have been sanctioned, notes civil society.  

Organizations like Greenpeace say they expect concrete action from the Congolese authorities.

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• Environment