DR Congo
RFUK and partners launch new phase of community forest monitoring in the DRC
RFUK and our partners have officially launched a new phase of community-led forest monitoring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marking the start of an ambitious new three-year programme to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ ability to protect their forests. The launch took place during a ten-day workshop in Kinshasa, bringing together … Read more
DRC Environment Minister commits to uphold logging moratorium, as CSOs call for lasting protection of the Congo Basin
Our organisations, members of a coalition of 70 Congolese and international organisations working to protect human rights and the environment, welcome the public statement by Marie Nyange Ndambo, Minister of the Environment, Development and New Climate Economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), reaffirming that the moratorium on the allocation of new industrial … Read more
ANNUAL REVIEW 2025
We are delighted to present our 2025 Annual Review, which highlights the key achievements and impact of RFUK’s projects and campaigns over the past year in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and forest communities around the world.
LOGGING OFF: PLANS TO LIFT THE DRC LOGGING MORATORIUM THREATEN FOREST PROTECTION EFFORTS IN THE CONGO BASIN
A new briefing warns that plans to lift the DRC’s logging moratorium could open vast areas of Congo Basin rainforest to industrial logging, threatening forests, community rights and climate goals. It calls on the government to maintain the moratorium and prioritise community-led, sustainable forest management. This briefing was elaborated by by Actions pour la promotion … Read more
Coalition warns of plan to open tens of millions of hectares of DRC’s forests to timber industry
Kinshasa, 6 July 2026 – A coalition of more than 70 environmental and human rights organisations are calling on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to maintain the national moratorium on the allocation of new industrial logging concessions. Through an open letter addressed to the Prime Minister [1], the coalition urges … Read more
Community Forest Success in North Kivu, Against All the Odds
In the forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a region that has endured years of insecurity and uncertainty, an incredible story of community resilience is unfolding. On 2 June 2026, the Masombea community in Lubero Territory, North Kivu, officially secured legal recognition of its community forest (Concession Forestière des Communautés Locales, … Read more
Investing in local governance: a proven pathway to resilient forest communities in the Congo Basin
Insights from RFUK’s recent field mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo. RFUK’s recent field mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reaffirmed a critical lesson for conservation and development partners: strong local governance drives some of the most effective and sustainable outcomes for building resilient forest communities. Across Kinshasa and the Equateur province, … Read more
Protecting those who protect the forest: RFUK publishes new guidance to support community defenders in the Congo Basin
Deep in the forests of the Congo Basin, documenting illegal logging, or other illegal extractive activities, can come at a cost. Community observers, many of them volunteers, set out to monitor forest activity to protect their lands, defend their rights and ensure that forest laws are respected, knowing they may face intimidation, threats or even … Read more
RETHINKING THE JUST TRANSITION IN THE DRC
Focusing on voices from across the DRC, a so-called ‘Solutions Country’, this briefing highlights how current extractive and conservation models often harm communities, and sets out a pathway for a just transition rooted in equity, participation and community-led environmental stewardship.
COP30: Congolese Civil Society Calls for a Truly Just Transition in the DRC
Belém, As global climate negotiations at COP30 focus on phasing out fossil fuels, the Congolese citizen movement Notre Terre Sans Pétrole (NTSP) has launched a policy brief outlining how the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) can achieve a genuinely just energy transition. The brief was unveiled during the side event in Belém “Solutions Country: Protecting Forests and Securing … Read more