By ELUKESSU KBOMBI Tonton Elton, NYP Executive Director, And KEKYA
Léon, Specialist In Environment At NYP-DRC Network Office

The strategy of the conservation for the biodiversity especially in
protected areas in Democratic Republic of Congo "DRC" expresses the
determination to play a major role in the conservation and the
rational and durable use of its natural and cultural resources in
favour of the future generations of the whole humanity. In this
context, its general and specific objectives are in accordance with
the world strategy of the conservation and with the agreement on the
biological variety ratified by the DRC respectively in 1975 and 1994.

A plan should bring to light the priorities of management of
protected areas as well as the practical modalities of their
realization, in the precise context of abolishing wars and the
progressive normalization of the general situation in the country.
The strategy and the plan should have appropriate and effective
instruments of management, so as to rehabilitate and restore
functionality.

The conservation means the management of use of the biosphere by man
in a way that the current generations achieve the maximum advantages
of the living resources while insuring their perpetuity to be able to
satisfy needs and aspiration of future generations.

The conservation process thus includes protection, maintenance,
durable use, the restoration and the improvement of the natural
environment. The conservation of the protected areas touches
specifically the flora and the fauna, and also several other elements
of the natural environment.

Contrary to the situation which prevailed ten years ago, the DRC is
confronted with enormous difficulties of socio-economical-financial
type and security problems, which determined the sensitive capacity
reduction of diversity protection to assure their respective
responsibilities in conservation of natural resources.

This difficult situation determined inestimable damages both on
biodiversity, and infrastructure, without forgetting so many human
lives sacrificed especially in periods of occasional wars during
which the impoverishment of the population affected large
proportions.

Natural inhabitants also have been, until today, have been practising
several forms of despoliation, occupation, destruction and illegal
exploitation of the mining and forest resources.

It is important to mention that more than 80 % of investments granted
by the DRC and the International Community with the aim of the
biodiversity conservation is annihilated. Nevertheless, the signature
of the peace agreements among warring parties in DRC in 2002 on one
hand, and the implementation of the republican institutions of
transition on the other hand, have allowed, since June 2003, the
normalization of the general situation in the country and gradually
increase the security of the national territory.

The forest law which defines a new legal frame of management of RDC's
forest resources is a major asset of the national land settlement as
well as, the management of natural resources of the RDC, if applied
in a convenient way.

Inventories of fixtures of the biodiversity, the sector protected
areas. Protected Areas of the RDC include seven national parks
(VIRUNGA, GARAMBA, KAHUZI-BIEGA, SALONGA, UPEMBA, KUNDELUNGU, MAIKO),
Reserve of fauna To OKAPI, Marine Park of Mangrove swamps, and
approximately 57 domains and hunting reservations. UNESCO considers
five of these protected areas world heritage.

The threats to these protected areas are numerous, the most important
are: poaching, occupation of some protected lands by the populations
and illegal armed gangs, the exploitation of ores and the forestry
development, among other threats such as wars and poverty.

We call for the rescue of the Biodiversity in RDC, which is for the
good of all humanity.