Auction of oil and gas blocks in the DRC: Modero Nsimba refutes the denunciations of Greenpeace

The Minister of Tourism, Modero Nsimba responded to the international environmental protection NGO, Greenpeace, which invited, in its press release of Tuesday July 19, the oil and gas majors to refrain from buying rights to 27 oil blocks and 3 gas blocks auctioned by the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to protect biodiversity.

It was during the government briefing on endangered protected areas held on Wednesday 20 July. The Minister of Tourism denounced the attitude of the NGO Greenpeace which, according to him, is in the process of attacking calls for tenders which have not yet been launched. 

“We cannot understand that Greenpeace comes to question the intentions of the Government. Because we have not yet launched the calls for tenders. The Ministry of Hydrocarbons has promised to launch the calls for tenders at the end of the month. where do these questions that Greenpeace is asking come from? It’s a way of subjugating a government”, denounced Modero Nsimba.

The Minister of Tourism said that oil exploitation is done throughout the Atlantic zone and that the DRC should not be the only country to remain static.

“The Virunga massif takes part of the DRC and Uganda. At the moment we are here, Uganda is building a large refinery in this massif. Today, in the entire Atlantic zone of Senegal until ‘in the DRC, oil exploitation is being done,’ he said.

“In letters sent to oil companies around the world, Greenpeace is warning against this ominous auction, which could take place to the detriment of biodiversity and the global climate,” said writes the organization.

Tenders for the allocation of rights to these blocks will be launched on July 28, the Congolese Minister of Hydrocarbons, Didier Budimbu, announced on Monday. 

The oil blocks concerned are spread over several regions of the country: three in the coastal basin, nine in the central Cuvette, eleven in the Graben of Tanganyika and four in the Albertine Graben. The three gas blocks are located in Lake Kivu.

In a joint statement following a meeting, Ministers Ève Bazaïba for the Environment and Didier Budimbu for Hydrocarbons affirmed that the oil blocks concerned by this sale were located outside protected areas.