World Bank put African rainforest at risk
Date: 08/11/2007
The World Bank put the planet’s second largest rainforest at risk along with the 40 million people depending on it according to a damning report from its independent Inspection Panel. The 133-page report reveals grave violations in the World Bank’s interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) including logging projects which would have turned the country into “Africa’s premier timber producer” and totally ignored the existence of the indigenous population.
The report was commissioned after ‘Pygmy’ communities in DRC submitted a complaint to the World Bank Inspection Panel in November 2005 expressing their concerns about the impact of Bank-funded activities on the rainforests which they inhabit. An area of rainforest the size of France is at risk.
The World Bank repeatedly broke its own rules safeguarding the environment, natural habitats and the rights of indigenous communities in the area, according to the Inspection Panel report.
Following release of the report, a delegation of Congolese ‘Pygmies’ flew to Washington for top level talks with World Bank bosses -- including newly-appointed President Robert Zoellick. The Bank’s unhelpful responses during those talks and a follow-up meeting in DRC led to a plea for “frank and constructive” discussions from delegation and Rainforest Foundation representatives.
“We are seeking constructive dialogue and collaboration with the World Bank,” said Rainforest Foundation director Simon Counsell. “However, it has to be on the basis of a different approach by the Bank from what it has taken place in the past.”
The World Bank Board is due to consider the Inspection Panel report later this month. “The Board of the Bank now has the chance to avert a major environmental and humanitarian disaster,” Simon Counsell said. “It should insist on an end to industrial logging of Congo’s forests, and work with the Congolese government to find non-destructive ways of managing them for the benefit of Congo’s people.”
See also: ‘Pygmy delegation to meet World Bank bosses over damning report; ‘Pygmy’ delegation concerned by Bank President’s response to Congo crisis, and World Bank staff actions condemned.
The report was commissioned after ‘Pygmy’ communities in DRC submitted a complaint to the World Bank Inspection Panel in November 2005 expressing their concerns about the impact of Bank-funded activities on the rainforests which they inhabit. An area of rainforest the size of France is at risk.
The World Bank repeatedly broke its own rules safeguarding the environment, natural habitats and the rights of indigenous communities in the area, according to the Inspection Panel report.
Following release of the report, a delegation of Congolese ‘Pygmies’ flew to Washington for top level talks with World Bank bosses -- including newly-appointed President Robert Zoellick. The Bank’s unhelpful responses during those talks and a follow-up meeting in DRC led to a plea for “frank and constructive” discussions from delegation and Rainforest Foundation representatives.
“We are seeking constructive dialogue and collaboration with the World Bank,” said Rainforest Foundation director Simon Counsell. “However, it has to be on the basis of a different approach by the Bank from what it has taken place in the past.”
The World Bank Board is due to consider the Inspection Panel report later this month. “The Board of the Bank now has the chance to avert a major environmental and humanitarian disaster,” Simon Counsell said. “It should insist on an end to industrial logging of Congo’s forests, and work with the Congolese government to find non-destructive ways of managing them for the benefit of Congo’s people.”
See also: ‘Pygmy delegation to meet World Bank bosses over damning report; ‘Pygmy’ delegation concerned by Bank President’s response to Congo crisis, and World Bank staff actions condemned.
