In a recent press release, Augustin Ngumbi, Director-Coordinator of the CITES Management Authority, formally denied his involvement in the trafficking of wildlife from the Virunga National Park, in the territory of Rutshuru, in North Kivu. .
This denial comes after the US State Department cited him, alongside two other Congolese personalities, in a trafficking of protected species in exchange for bribes to China. Ngumbi claims that the State Department was misled and misinformed by unreliable sources, including NGOs with malicious intent.
The Director-Coordinator of CITES firmly affirms that he has never abused his official position and is in no way involved in the trafficking of chimpanzees, gorillas, okapis and other protected wildlife species from the DRC . He considers the US State Department’s sanctions to be arbitrary, pointing out that he has never had the opportunity to explain himself to US authorities or other competent bodies about the charges against him.
Ngumbi believes that these sanctions violate fundamental universal rights such as the right to the presumption of innocence, the right to human dignity and the right to honor, as guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Rights and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
As head of CITES since December 2017, Augustin Ngumbi also highlights his actions in the fight against wildlife trafficking. In particular, he succeeded in repatriating more than 300 gray parrots which had been fraudulently exported from the DRC to Istanbul in March 2018, as well as 20 live monkeys which had been fraudulently exported from the DRC to Zimbabwe in February 2021.
Ngumbi ends by reaffirming his commitment to the protection of wild species and the preservation of biodiversity. He hopes that the truth will be restored and that the unjust sanctions will be rectified as soon as possible.
Text analysis:
The text provides clear and precise information on Augustin Ngumbi’s denial of his involvement in wildlife trafficking. The style is formal and objective, with an emphasis on Ngumbi’s arguments to defend himself against the accusations made against him. The text also includes details of Ngumbi’s anti-wildlife trafficking actions as head of CITES. It helps to understand the stakes of this case and the reactions of the principal concerned to the arbitrary sanctions that were taken against him