17 May, 2013: BREAKING NEWS – Oil and Gas group TOTAL will not explore for oil in Virunga National Park!
Good News for Africa’s Oldest National Park Oil and gas group Total will not explore for oil within the boundaries of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chairman and CEO Cristophe de Margerie announced today. WWF welcomes the decision that will help conserve the home of mountain …
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May, 2013 – “Nouvel Espoir”: Préservons notre Environnement – Virunga
NOUVEL ESPOIR Une chanson de Danny Lukusa . Attendrons-nous de voir monter toutes les eaux Jusqu’à recouvrir sur nos têtes le Nyiragongo ? Et en spectacle avons-nous réservé De voir le big bang du gaz méthane nous décimer ? Et la foret tropicale protectrice incendiée ? La sécheresse l’avons-nous aussi choisie Comme ces …
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April 2013 – A Responsibility to Preserve: Protecting Virunga National Park from Oil Drilling, Poaching and Armed Groups
Written by Joshua Alter Virunga National Park (Virunga) covers 790,000 hectares in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).(2) Originally designated a national park in 1925, Virunga became a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage site in 1979.(3) Virunga has been described as “the most unique biosphere …
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March 7, 2013 – Oil drilling in Virunga National Park: a matter of national interest?
This week’s alarming headline by Jonny Hogg: “Congo seeks to open way to oil drilling in national parks” reveals how the government of the DRC is planning to go ahead with oil exploration within National Parks. DRC’s parliament is to debate, as early as this month, the new Hydrocarbon bill …
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February 8, 2013 – Virunga Oil Blocks: Last Update
Check here for the last update: Oil Block III 32% contains ViNP Last Update Oil Block IV 50% contains ViNP Last Update Oil Block V 52% contains ViNP Last Update —————– Virunga National Park – Oil Exploration: On 23 …
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January 21, 2013 – Virunga as an Engine of Green Growth: World Bank’s Lessons from Africa
This post is based on World Bank’s review to its support to biodiversity conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade (2003-2012). This report presents key lessons and directions for the Bank’s future biodiversity-related investments. Ask any environment minister or park manager, and they will tell you that finding the …
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JAN 07, 2013 Chaos in Congo – Virunga National Park has a new enemy: Oil
View of the Virunga National Park from the the ranger headquarter in Rumangabo, Democratic Republic of Congo. (Jan-Joseph Stok/GlobalPost) Virunga National Park has a new enemy: Oil Possible oil reserves beneath Africa’s oldest park threaten its survival. Tristan McConnell LAKE EDWARD, Democratic Republic of Congo — It is not just …
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DEC 31, 2012: Save Virunga from 2012 to 2013
Currently more than 80% of Virunga NP has been allocated as oil concessions. There are many precedents which have shown that oil exploration will lead to serious loss of biodiversity and ecosystems and increased poverty-conflict in the region. In 2013 Virunga national park should be a place where no extractive industry …
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DEC, 2012, FP: Oil in Central Africa. What Could go Wrong?
The Stories You Missed in 2012 Ten events and trends that were overlooked this year, but may be leading the headlines in 2013. BY JOSHUA E. KEATING | DECEMBER 2012 In recent years, international campaigns have highlighted the role that “conflict minerals” such as coltan, used in many electronic devices, have played in …
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DEC 13, 2012: EU joint resolution on DRC, putting oil concessions in Virunga NP on the political agenda
On December 12th the European Parliament presented a joint resolution on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The motion was adopted by the European Parliament on December 13th. This joint resolution, supported by more than 50 European parliamentarians, expresses its strong concern at the deterioration in …
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DEC 13, 2012: Belgium Resolution to Protect Virunga National Park has been passed
Belgium Resolution to Protect Virunga National Park has been passed (131 votes out of 132) . Belgium Government sends a strong appeal to the international community: “It is a crime to leave such a jewel of biodiversity to be massacred for economic profits! The park already devastated by war, poaching …
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NOV 20, 2012: Belgian Member of Parliament presents a Resolution to Protect Virunga National Park
Georges Dallemagne, Member of the Parliament of Belgium, has presented a resolution for the protection of Virunga National Park. On December 6th the Members of the Parliament will have to vote on the subject. If the resolution is passed it will constitute the formal decision of the Belgian Parliament on …
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NOV 2012: Black Gold in Congo: a Photo Essay about Oil threat in a War-torn Country
Jan-Joseph Stok – Photo Essay – Black Gold in Congo Congo being one of the richest country in the World for it’s natural resources, has faced intensive conflicts for the last decade. It’s minerals are it’s curse. Oil exploration in the DR Congo is a new threat to the stability of …
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AUG 4-8, 2012: SOCO assessing and valuating oil reserves in Virunga National Park
The DRC government gave SOCO International Plc, the oil company with the biggest participating interest in the oil blocks covering Virunga National Park, permission to assess and valuate the oil reserves in this Unesco World Heritage site in danger. The information provided by SOCO International will be used as part …
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SEP 26, 2012: British government opposes Soco exploration in Congo sanctuary
KINSHASA, Sept 25 (Reuters) – The British government said on Tuesday it is opposed to London-based oil company Soco International exploring for oil in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park, which is a last refuge for the region’s mountain gorillas. “We have informed Soco and urge the government of …
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SEP 22, 2012: “We’ll see whether we’ll respect the park or not” says Hydrocarbon Minister about Virunga
Congo could allow oil exploitation By Jonny Hogg KINSHASA (Reuters) – The Democratic Republic of Congo will allow exploration work inside Africa’s oldest national park if significant oil deposits are found there, the country’s hydrocarbons minister said on Saturday. Congo is keen to expand its underdeveloped oil sector, which currently …
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AUG 2012, Reynders in Congo: War, Oil and Virunga on the discussion table?
Belgium Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders, is on an official mission in DR-Congo and Rwanda. He should be meeting DRC President Joseph Kabila this afternoon in Lubumbashi. This will be his second official visit to Kinshasa; he first visited the country in March 2012. As …
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JUL 31, 2012: Top 15 Shareholders – the global connection
Top 15 Shareholders - Total, Ophir Energy and SOCO International – One Corporate Responsibility What is a shareholder? A shareholder (or stockholder) is an individual or company (including a corporation) that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. Both private and public traded companies …
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JUL 2012: Oil threatens Peace = War threatens Virunga
Oil threatens Peace “Renewed oil interest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) represents a real threat to stability in a still vulnerable post-conflict country. Exploration has begun, but oil prospecting is nurturing old resentments among local communities and contributing to border tensions with neighbouring countries. If oil reserves …
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JUL 6, 2012: UNESCO appeals to TOTAL and SOCO to adhere to NO-GO policy in Virunga NP
UNESCO 36th session of the Committee: VIRUNGA Decisions 36COM 7A.4 Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 63) The World Heritage Committee, 1. Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/7A.Add, 2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7A.4, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011), 3. Extends its deepest condolences to the families of guards killed during operations conducted to …
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JUN 25, 2012: Oil a Weapon of War vs. Gorillas a Weapon of Peace
Oil: a financing method of armed groups, will it bring peace to Virunga? International Relations specialist Achim Wennmann’s investigated the economic dimensions of armed groups. His study reveals a wide variety of financing methods used by armed groups and state actors in conflict zones like eastern DRC. Insights are provided …
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JUN 22, 2012: ONG Position Paper to the World Heritage Committee
READ HERE THE NGO POSITION PAPER ON VIRUNGA Extract: To the World Heritage Committee and States Parties, Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo: World Heritage Property in Danger From June 24th till July 6th, you will be gathering in St Petersburg for the 36th session of the World Heritage …
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JUN 15, 2012: Park ranger stabbed after SOCO enters Virunga NP
VIRUNGA LATEST NEWS Today a park ranger was stabbed after SOCO International decided to enter the Virunga National Park with an helicopter and land in Nyakakoma. The UK oil company SOCO International flew from the International airport of Goma to the fishery in Nyakakoma, at the center of the Virunga …
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JUN 2012: Total opens a new oil front in Virunga National Park
While heavy fighting is going on in and around Virunga National Park and thousands of people are fleeing their houses, some oil companies prefer to do business as usual. Total decided to increase its participating interests in Block III, covering 32% of the Virunga National park. In its last operational …
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MAY 2012, HR ALERT: Local Communities in Vitshumbi silenced
Local organizations and civil society representatives from Vitshumbi were going to host a public meeting today, 26th of May. Goal of this meeting was to reflect on the oil concession and contract for Block 5 in the Virunga National Park and the state of the fisheries in Lake Edward. The …
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MAY 16, 2012: Access or no access for SOCO to Virunga NP?
On Wednesday 16th of May, SOCO International, one of the two oil companies having participating interests in the oil concession block V covering a big part of the Virunga National Park, announced its Interim Management Statement relating to the period from 1 January 2012 to 15 May 2012. SOCO reports …
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MAY 2012: Total, Virunga “is in your hands”
WWF has called on French oil company Total to refrain from exploration in Virunga National Park. At a meeting of Total shareholders and investors Friday, WWF hosted a demonstration and published an open letter to the company president. Total has been granted an oil concession that includes a portion of …
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MAY 2012: Open Letter to DRC Government, International Community against Oil Exploration in Virunga NP
READ The Letter to the DRC Government Despite an outcry from the international community and bodies like UNESCO, IUCN, the EU, and many others including Greenpeace, the DRC government and SOCO are continuing to develop oil exploration plans. An international collection of NGOs recently wrote this open letter to the …
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APR 2012: British and French oil companies destroying VIRUNGA
This is one question that several environmental groups, European parliamentarians, human rights organizations as well as a growing number of people are asking themselves. Since 2007, the Congolese government has been signing contracts with oil companies and selling oil concessions in Africa’s oldest National Park, one of UNESCO’s World Heritage …
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APR 2012: SOS Virunga
Campagne contre l’exploitation pétrolière dans le parc des Virunga, dans la région des Grands Lacs africains PARIS (AFP) – (AFP) Le Fonds mondial pour la nature (WWF) lance une campagne intitulée “SOS Virunga !” visant à protéger de l’exploitation pétrolière cet immense parc de la région des Grands Lacs africains, alors …
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APR 2012: Virunga activists receive death threats
WWF has learned that two community activists opposing planned oil development in and near Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Virunga National Park have received threatening telephone calls. The men both report having been called by unidentified individuals who told them, “If you continue your advocacy against SOCO, you will die.” …
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MARCH 2012: European Commission & Virunga National Park
Question for written answer E-003312/2012 to the Commission Rule 117 Struan Stevenson (ECR) Subject: Virunga National Park Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – Africa’s oldest national park, a World Heritage Area under the UNESCO Convention and home to the last mountain gorillas – is under …
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MAR 24, 2012: Local Communities Oppose Oil Exploration in Virunga National Park, DRC
On 23 & 24 March a reflection meeting took place on the issue of oil exploration and exploitation in Block 5 in the Albertin Rift by SOCO. The workshop took place in Vitshumbi, Ruthsuru, North Kivu. The workshop was attended by local communities who live in and outside Virunga National …
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MARCH 2012 ALERT: Virunga National Park targeted by UK’s SOCO Oil Company
ALERT! Congo’s Rainforests – Including Gorilla Rich Virunga National Park – Targeted by UK’s SOCO Oil Company By Ecological Internet’s Rainforest Portal TAKE ACTION HERE NOW! The Congo Basin [search]– home to some of Earth’s last large, ecologically intact, biodiversity rich rainforests – may soon be decimated by oil rigs, …
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MARCH 2012: SOCO announces workplan to explore in Virunga – UNESCO World Heritage
Global Witness reveals previously unpublished exploration permits A London-listed FTSE250 oil company, SOCO International, has announced plans to press ahead with oil exploration in Africa’s oldest National Park and UNESCO World Heritage site, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They announced the plans on Wednesday evening, …
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MARCH 2012: World Heritage expresses concern regarding aeromagnetic and aerogravimetric explorations at Virunga NP
The World Heritage Centre has just been informed that a Ministerial Order, signed on 1 September 2011, delivers to SOCO (South Africa Congo Oil) a Certificate of Environmental Acceptability in order to exercise an oil exploration campaign by the acquisition of aeromagnetic and aerogravimetric data in block V of the …
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OCT 2011: Hydrocarbon Ministry grants permit for exploration in Virunga NP
Two permits giving SOCO the go-ahead were signed by DRC’s hydrocarbons and environment ministries despite a previously announced commitment by the government to suspend oil exploration in the Park pending the result of a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The assessment, funded by the EU and other international donors, is expected to …
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SEP 2011: Environment Ministry authorises “aeromagnetic and aerogravimetric” surveys in Virunga NP
Two permits giving SOCO the go-ahead were signed by DRC’s hydrocarbons and environment ministries despite a previously announced commitment by the government to suspend oil exploration in the Park pending the result of a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The assessment, funded by the EU and other international donors, is expected to …
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MARCH 2011: UNESCO welcomes suspension of oil prospection at Virunga National Park
Source: 18.03.2011 – UNESCOPRESS Director-General welcomes suspension of oil prospection at Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism of the Democratic Republic of the Congo that the government of the …
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MARCH 2011: DRC government decision to suspend oil exploration in Virunga
WWF welcomes DRC government decision to suspend oil exploration in world heritage site Virunga Gland, Switzerland – WWF welcomed the decision of the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to withdraw the permission to drill for oil in Africa’s oldest park, Virunga. The environment ministry of DRC issued a …
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FEB 2011 IUCN warns SOCO: oil exploration in Virunga NP will have irreversible adverse effects for human livelihoods and natural systems
“IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) calls for a global moratorium on oil and gas exploitation in ecologically sensitive areas, including deepwater ocean sites and polar areas. In a statement from the ruling body of the world’s oldest and largest conservation organization, IUCN says that the rising demand for …
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FEB 2011: SOCO enters Virunga Park Illegally
SOCO has previously been accused by the Park’s managers of entering Virunga illegally, notably in February 2011 when representatives travelling in a SOCO vehicle are reported to have forced the barriers. In a response to Global Witness SOCO stated that these accusations were “without merit” and that “no SOCO personnel …
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JAN 14, 2011: Congolese Government’s Commitment to protect Virunga National Park
Kinshasa Declaration to protect DRC World Heritage sites signed Friday, January 14, 2011 At the invitation of the Congolese Government, the high-level meeting requested by the World Heritage Committee in 2007 (Christchurch 2007) was held with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and Congolese Prime Minister Mr Adophe Muzito in attendance. The …
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JAN 2011: WWF Condemns oil exploration plans inside Virunga park
WWF condemns oil exploration plans inside Africa’s iconic nature park 05/01/2011 16:38:29 Virunga oil drilling January 2011. WWF calls on UK listed companies SOCO and Dominion to abandon their oil exploration plans in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning these actions will undermine decades of …
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2010: SOCO receives Presidential Decree for Block 5
28 Jun 2010 SOCO International has been informed by its wholly owned subsidiary SOCO Exploration Production DRC that the Production Sharing Agreement for Block 5 in the Albertine Graben area of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has received the Presidential Decree, the final step in the concession award of …
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2008: Rumangabo in hands of Nkunda’s Rebels
Rebels attack Rumangabo Category: Threats Date: October 9th 2008 By: Paula We are alarmed with news reports that rebel forces have taken over the military base at Rumangabo. This has forced the ICCN to begin evacuating rangers from the Virunga National Park which is critical for their safety and survival, …
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2007: Oil Production Sharing Contract for Block V in Virunga NP
Oil Production Sharing Contract for Block V awarded in December 2007 to SOCO and is adjacent to partner Dominion Petroleum’s Exploration Area 4B (EA4B) in Uganda. This production sharing agreement is available here in its original French: http://mines-rdc.cd/fr/documents/Hydro/contrat_rdc_dominion_soco_cohydro.pdf. English translation of relevant section of the Production Sharing Agreement The PRODUCTION …
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2007: Who Murdered the Virunga Gorillas?
Who Murdered the Virunga Gorillas? Heavily armed militias shatter the stillness in this central African park. Desperate refugees crowd park boundaries. Charcoal producers strip forests. Then, last summer, someone killed seven of these magnificent creatures in cold blood. By Mark Jenkins The killers waited until dark. On July 22 of …
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1994: Virunga Inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger
UNESCO Committee Resolution 1994 Virunga National Park (Zaire): The Committee recalled that at its last session it was deeply concerned about the civil unrest in Zaire which led to donors (EEC and USAID) suspending their support to this site. Many Park staff had not been remunerated for almost a year. …
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1979: Virunga Nominated to the World Heritage List
Decisions 03COM XII.46 Consideration of Nominations to the World Heritage List The Committee decided to enter in the World Heritage List the following 45 properties: No. Name of property / State Party 63 Virunga national park / Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) Why: Virunga National Park (covering an area …
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1925: Creation of the Virunga National Park
Historical Description Established in 1925 as Albert National Park (809,000ha); revised by Decree No. 69-041 of 22 August 1969 as Virunga National Park. Designated as a World Heritage site in 1979. Source: Advisory Body Evaluation Erigé en Réserve Naturelle Intégrale depuis sa création par le décret royal du 21 avril …
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