The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suspended oil exploration in Africa’s oldest national park, Virunga, until a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is conducted. The move ends oil companies, Soco and Dominion’s plans to explore for oil in blocs within the park that were awarded to the companies last year.
“We have rejected the recommendations of an environmental impact assessment conducted by the oil company, Soco, which we consider premature, superficial and which does not conform to the standards which we would expect,” said José E.B. Endundo, the Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism.
However, Soco’s deputy CEO, Roger Cagle, told Reuters that he didn’t believe Endundo had even read the company’s environmental impact assessment.
The companies have said they will respect the government’s decision and await the results of the SEA.
Home to a quarter of the world’s mountain gorillas, as well as chimpanzees, hippos, lions, forest elephants, okapi, and rare birds Virunga National Park is one of Africa’s most biodiverse parks and is classified by the UN as a World Heritage Site.
The UN along with several conservation organizations have criticized the plan to allowing oil exploration in the park. The oil companies, though, have contended they could improve the park’s security situation, which is unstable due to the presence of armed rebels hiding in the vast park. Over 130 rangers have died in the book due to conflict with rebels in the past 15 years.
A portion of Virunga National Park swaddled in clouds as seen by Google Earth.
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