Author: Inonga Mbala

Forest Governance in the Congo Basin under International Scrutiny Few biomes capture the diplomatic imagination quite like the Congo Basin, a carbon sink second only to the Amazon. Yet the Basin is also an arena where corporate concessions and fragile institutions intersect. During the Brazzaville forum on climate initiatives and sustainable forest management, thirty participants from government, civil society, indigenous communities and the private sector scrutinised the country’s environmental stewardship. The meeting, financed by the United Kingdom with technical input from the NGO Fern, unfolded against the backdrop of fresh data suggesting that the Republic of Congo lost nearly 100,000…

Vindoulou’s uneasy calm after the chimneys went cold From the river road that skirts the suburb of Vindoulou, the corrugated rooftops of the Metssa Congo plant now look deceptively benign. The furnaces that once smelted automotive batteries have been silent since June 2024, when the Ministry of the Environment ordered an immediate suspension citing an “established risk to human health and the environment.” Yet the metallic taste lingering in the air reminds inhabitants that industrial quietude does not equate to safety. In the words of community leader Cyrille Traoré Ndembi, “we know that we have been poisoned.” His assertion is…

Congo Basin forests under diplomatic scrutiny From Yaoundé to Brussels, the 200 million hectares of humid forests stretching across Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have become a litmus test for the credibility of current climate diplomacy. The basin stores an estimated 37 billion tonnes of carbon (WRI, 2022) and shelters unparalleled biodiversity. Yet it also represents a livelihood backbone for nearly 60 million people and an export opportunity that national treasuries can ill afford to ignore. Against this delicate background, the 2017 birth of the umbrella label Fair & Precious, backed by…

Anatomy of a Deluge: From the Congo River to Talangaï’s Backyards The first week of June brought yet another bout of torrential rains to Brazzaville, quickly transforming the low-lying districts of Talangaï and Mfilou into a labyrinth of muddy canals. Hydrologists at the University of Kinshasa attribute the sudden rise of the Congo River to a convergence of El Niño-induced precipitation and upstream deforestation that has reduced natural absorption capacity (African Climate Centre, 2024). In Talangaï alone, nearly 5,000 households saw their foundations dissolve in less than forty-eight hours, a human-made vulnerability compounded by decades of informal construction on floodplains.…

Navigating Bureaucratic and Environmental Challenges Moz Environmental, a subsidiary of the renowned French waste management firm Séché Environnement, finds itself embroiled in increasingly intricate negotiations and challenges within Mozambique’s volatile Cabo Delgado province. Over recent weeks, the company has faced mounting pressure from local municipal authorities, reflecting broader issues of governance and regulatory compliance in the region. Although the exact nature of these challenges is intricate, the overarching theme involves adherence to environmental regulations and waste management protocols amidst a backdrop of regional instability. The Impact of Regional Instability Cabo Delgado, notorious for its ongoing security concerns due to insurgent…

The Elephant Overpopulation Issue Zimbabwe has found itself at the center of a contentious debate over its recent decision to cull elephants to manage overpopulation, with the government arguing that the ecological balance in the Savé Valley could tip dangerously due to an excess of pachyderms. Official data suggests that the park’s capacity is limited to 800 elephants, a stark contrast to the current estimate of 2,550, necessitating urgent intervention. Government Stance and Public Reactions Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for ZimParks, underscores the urgency by stating that the overcrowding of elephants not only endangers their habitat but also poses imminent risks…

Geographic and Political Context The Republic of the Congo, strategically positioned along the Equator in west-central Africa, is often informally referred to as Congo-Brazzaville, a moniker that distinguishes it from the larger Democratic Republic of the Congo, or Congo-Kinshasa. This nuanced nomenclature reflects not only geographical realities but also complex colonial and post-colonial histories that continue to shape regional identities. Population Distribution and Urban Centers Congo-Brazzaville experiences a significant concentration of its population in urban areas, primarily driven by the attraction of economic opportunities and better living conditions in cities. More than half of the nation’s population resides in urban…

A Gathering for Governance The recent forum held in Brazzaville, officially termed the ‘National Multi-Actor Forum on Climate Initiatives and Sustainable Forest Management,’ aimed to confront the challenges of illegal activities that continue to undermine forest governance in Congo-Brazzaville. Despite the existence of well-crafted policies aligning with international mechanisms, these illegalities remain a significant hurdle. Representatives from local communities, logging companies, government institutions, civil society organizations, and the press gathered to address these issues over the course of two days. Challenges on the Ground Despite the comprehensive legislative framework, the implementation of forest governance policies is inconsistent at best. Reports…

Environnement Naturel et Position Stratégique La République du Congo, souvent désignée par son capital, Brazzaville, pour éviter la confusion avec sa voisine la République Démocratique du Congo, est stratégiquement positionnée au centre-ouest de l’Afrique, traversée par l’équateur. Cette localisation unique lui confère une importance géopolitique, mais aussi une diversité géographique notable. Bordée par le Cameroun, la République Centrafricaine, la RDC, l’enclave angolaise de Cabinda, et le Gabon, elle possède une bande côtière s’étendant sur 160 kilomètres le long de l’Atlantique, cruciale pour son économie maritime. Rugosité et Relief : Un Territoire en Élévation Le relief du pays est marqué par…

Emergence of Albayrak in Brazzaville On June 19, 2023, the Turkish enterprise Albayrak Waste Management Company initiated its operations in Brazzaville, marking a significant engagement in the city’s urban cleanliness agenda. This inauguration marks a notable juncture two months following the signing of a public service delegation contract with the Congolese government, pivoting from a former management approach previously managed by Averda. A New Strategic Partnership The commencement of Albayrak’s activities sets the stage for a new strategic partnership between Congo and Turkey, formalized on April 23, with a five-year contract covering Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. This pivot entails a shift…