DRC Establishes Carbon Market Regulatory Authority to Boost Oversight and Investment
DRC Launches Carbon Market Regulatory Authority to Strengthen Oversight and Attract Green Investment
On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, a series of presidential ordinances were announced on Congolese National Radio and Television (RTNC) by Tina Salama, spokesperson for the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Among the key announcements was the creation of a new public institution: the Carbon Market Regulatory Authority (ARMCA).
Established on the government’s recommendation, ARMCA aims to regulate and manage the country’s emerging carbon credit market. Jacques Célestin Moliba Bakanza has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
He will be supported by Guy Ntimba Binsimpi as Director General and Fifi Likunde Mboyo as Deputy Director General.
Additional board members include Ferdinand Masamba wa Masamba, André Kibambe Kikangala, and Joseph Longunza Malasi.
The implementation of this ordinance has been entrusted to Ève Bazaiba, the Minister of State and Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Back in December 2024, Minister Bazaiba emphasized the urgent need for a national carbon market authority to help the DRC capitalize on its vast forest resources—home to 62% of the Congo Basin.
She argued that the lack of regulatory oversight had hindered transparency and investment, resulting in disappointing returns from previous carbon credit transactions.
Citing one such case, she noted that the DRC generated only $1.6 million from an initial carbon credit sale, of which the government received a mere $100,000 due to the absence of a regulatory framework.
The newly established ARMCA is expected to reverse this trend by creating a centralized registry, providing reliable data on forest assets, and enabling the government to define market parameters rather than leaving them in the hands of private actors.
The formation of ARMCA marks a major step forward in positioning the DRC as a key player in global climate finance while promoting sustainable forest management and economic resilience.
