A Chinese-run gold mine in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, is encroaching on the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its biodiversity. Experts say that the mine should not be operating in the internationally protected area.
The original boundaries of the reserve were established by the DR Congolese government almost three decades ago. The State also limited the area in which the Chinese gold mine could conduct its activities. However, these boundaries have apparently become blurred over the years and the gold mine has started operating within the reserve.
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is already threatened by wildlife trafficking and the country’s ongoing conflict. Now, the Chinese mine – run by Kimia Mining Investment – threatens to further pollute the forest and gravely affect local communities.
Residents and wildlife experts claim Chinese gold mine is polluting UNESCO heritage site
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve became a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Recognized for its unique biodiversity, it houses a significant number of endangered species including the okapi, a forest giraffe. The reserve is home to almost 15 percent of the world’s 30,000 remaining okapi giraffes.
The reserve is also part of the Congo Basin rainforest, the second biggest in the world, which acts as a carbon sink and is critical in fighting the impacts of climate change. Crucially, it also contains a significant amount of mineral wealth, including gold and diamonds.
While DR Congo’s mining code states that the activity is prohibited in protected areas such as the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, the Chinese mine continues to operate. Local communities and environmental activists say these activities are accelerating deforestation, polluting the soil and rivers, and disrupting local communities. They also allege that the reserve’s boundaries have been deliberately manipulated to allow mining activities to take place, possibly to enable personal gain for government officials.
However, Issa Aboubcar, a spokesperson for the Chinese gold mine, said that its operations are legal and that the company had even renewed its permits until 2048. He also claimed that the company adheres to environmental standards and contributes to reforestation efforts via government taxation.
Gold mine boundaries deemed incorrect in important move towards protection of Okapi reserve
The International Congolese Conservation Institute (ICCN), which manages the country’s protected areas, recently held discussions with DR Congo’s mining registry and agreed that the reserve’s original boundaries should be maintained. However, internal government documents reveal that Kimia’s operations, along with all other mining activities within the reserve, are to be shut down.
This is presumed to be the first time that the previously-agreed boundaries have been acknowledged as incorrect. This win was celebrated by environmentalist groups in DR Congo, who have consistently said that the permits awarded to the mine were illegal and based on inaccurate maps.
While the government’s decision appears to be good news for the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, changing the boundaries will likely prove challenging. To date, the authorities have not provided a clear timeline or strategy for enforcing the correct boundaries.
In addition, any changes to the boundaries of the wildlife reserve will need to be approved by UNESCO experts, because of its protected status. However, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has confirmed that no request to modify the Okapi Reserve’s boundaries has been made.