The Congo reached an agreement with the Consortium WCS-TAF to fight against poaching

Signatory of several international conventions and agreements to fight against poaching and illegal trade of wildlife products, the Republic of Congo has become a little more involved in the fight for the protection of nature. An agreement for the implementation of the project to support the application of wildlife law was reached with the Consortium for Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and The Aspinall Foundation (TAF).

While protecting its environment, the country is now seeking to develop its rich ecological heritage and ecotourism in its protected parks.
The Congo reached an agreement with the Consortium WCS-TAF to fight against poaching

Signed for the Congo by the Minister of Sustainable Development and Forest Economy, Henri Djombo, and by James Osborne for the consortium, the MOU is meant to define the relationship between the Congo and the WCS-in TAF in terms of poaching and illegal trade. The objective is to eliminate poaching on the national territory, in partnership with the Ministry of Forest Economy.

The Congo has already launched several police operations against traffickers of wildlife products. Many traffickers in protected species like chimpanzees or elephants were apprehended and brought to justice in the country.

Targeted operations against poachers

Thus, three people were arrested on 6 September 2010 in possession of four fully protected animal species. This operation was successful thanks to the concerted involvement of the Provincial Directorate of Forest Economy of Niari, the national office of the Lusaka Agreement, the services of the national gendarmerie, with the support of the Project Support the Wildlife Enforcement (Palfi).The illegal meat was then burned in the presence of the media.
In August 2010, a Congolese was charged with illegal sale of smoked chimpanzee meat, the chimpanzee being one of the protected animal species under the Congolese law. In November 2010, a hunter was arrested in the department of the Sangha, in northeastern Congo in possession of elephant meat. In the month of December 2010, two women were arrested in Brazzaville for illegal sale of 50 kg of smoked elephant meat, a species protected under the Congolese law.

The Wildlife Act follows the observation that some species are not numerous enough in the Congo to withstand hunting for commercial purposes. They can not be hunted because they are endangered in the Congo, according to law 37/2008 of 28 November 2008 on fauna and protected areas.

Ecotourism Development: National Park Odzala-Kokoua managed by African Parks Network

The Congolese government has decided to delegate the management of National Park Odzala-Kokoua (PNOK) to the African Parks Foundation Network (AFN). Pending the imminent signing of a concession agreement for the management and development of ecotourism in the park and its periphery with Congo Conservation Company, the APN will manage the park with its own funds. Its contribution is estimated at about 250,000 euros. The AFN will manage the staff responsible for monitoring the park and lead technical operations.

The signing of this agreement opens up new prospects and is important for the development of the tourism industry in the Congo. The partnership between the Republic of Congo and the African Parks Network will establish management mechanisms and long term funding.
The PNOK covers an area of 1.354 million hectares in northwestern Congo. It is the oldest and largest national parks in Africa and home to a rich biodiversity. The feasibility study on ecotourism development conducted in 2007 indicated a huge potential thanks to the presence of gorillas in the plain of the west.
Story Credit here