Environmental civil society actors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have recently expressed concern about their exclusion from forest policy-making processes. In a letter addressed to the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Eve Bazaiba, they called for greater participation of all stakeholders in decision-making.
Congolese environmental civil society is asking the Minister to recognize the crucial role they play in their various communities, as key players in environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources. They point out that his ministry has always been renowned for adopting a participatory and inclusive approach, and they therefore ask to be included in the processes of drafting and validating texts governing the forestry sector.
They remind Eve Bazaiba that the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development is responsible for the management, administration, conservation, monitoring and policing of forests in the DRC. Therefore, they believe it is their right to be consulted and involved in these decisions, in accordance with national laws and international instruments ratified by the country.
Environmental civil society actors also ask the minister to build the capacities of non-state actors in order to promote their effective participation in forest and climate governance. They point out that these actors also play a key role in the implementation of the DRC’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and in the process of developing new regulations aimed at preventing deforestation.
This request from environmental civil society actors highlights the importance of the participation and inclusion of all stakeholders in decision-making processes related to the environment and the conservation of natural resources. The DRC, as a country endowed with considerable forest wealth, must take into account the perspectives and knowledge of the various actors to achieve sustainable management of its resources.
It remains to be seen how the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development will respond to this demand for increased participation. The recognition and integration of environmental civil society actors in decision-making processes could contribute to better decision-making and more effective management of the DRC’s natural resources, in the interest of all