At the heart of the Congolese National Assembly, the heated debate over the massive use of paper for provisional documents has highlighted the crucial issues of environmental protection. MP Garry Sakata, from Kwilu province, raised the question with unequivocal relevance: is it acceptable to waste precious natural resources in the name of an obsolete bureaucracy?
During the recent debate on the 2025 amending finance law, each national MP was given an impressive quantity of paper, totaling nearly 13,000 sheets per representative. An avalanche of provisional documents destined to be revised, corrected, and finally thrown away. An overabundance of paper that, according to Garry Sakata, represents a threat to forests and environmental balance.
This archaic practice of distributing documents raises a crucial question: why not opt for more modern and environmentally friendly means? The use of dematerialization, tablets and electronic transmission of information appears to be an obvious solution. By abandoning the mountains of disposable paper, it is possible to significantly reduce the environmental impact while ensuring greater efficiency in the legislative process.
Garry Sakata’s proposal to embrace new technologies for the circulation of official documents is of capital importance. Not only would it reduce paper consumption and preserve natural resources, but it would also contribute to modernizing and optimizing the functioning of the National Assembly. A transition to more sustainable and responsible practices that would be fully in line with the environmental preservation policy promoted by the government.
Faced with this direct challenge, it is now imperative that the authorities take these crucial issues into consideration and implement concrete measures to promote the dematerialization of official procedures. The advantages are multiple: waste reduction, financial savings, time savings, and a resolutely forward-looking approach.
Ultimately, environmental awareness must guide our daily actions, even at the heart of the most traditional institutions. Garry Sakata’s voice resonates as a necessary reminder: it is time to abandon outdated practices and resolutely commit to a transition to a more sustainable and planet-friendly future.