Oil and gas blocks: Kinshasa and Washington decide to set up a task force on climate change
The oil and gas blocks offered for sale by the Congolese government were also discussed during the stay of the American Secretary of State in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite this project, the head of Congolese diplomacy Christophe Lutundula wanted to reassure his counterpart and public opinion that the DRC is not going to abandon its commitments to be a solution country in the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change.
This is how the two parties agreed on the establishment of a working framework that will address environmental issues related to the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas, given that certain blocks concerned touch peatlands.
“The government of the Republic will ensure that there are no bidders, companies that will come to us to exploit and kill the ecology. There is no contradiction, what we do is to put nature at the service of Congolese people and humanity in one way or another. We were satisfied to obtain from Secretary of State Antony Blinken that we were going to work together and I take this opportunity to say that the United States and the DRC will quickly set up a working group on climate change which will be a framework for consultation and a framework for joint action.is a structure that should help us reconcile the need to see the Congolese enjoy their natural wealth and to protect the common heritage of humanity”, said Christophe Lutundula on Tuesday August 9, 2022 during a joint press conference with Antony Blinken.
Initially planned for 16 oil and gas blocks, the calls for tenders for the acquisition and exploitation of oil and gas blocks concern 30 blocks including 27 oil blocks and 3 gas blocks.
The launch was given by the Head of State Félix Tshisekedi at the end of July of the current year. “What is important for us and this is what we talked about with the American delegation is that all those who have the technology necessary to allow us to safeguard the ecological balance, will be welcome and we are counting on the ‘expertise, technological capabilities that friendly countries of all time like the United States to meet this need to protect nature,’ concluded Lutundula.
