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By the Editorial Team
The fight against deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo took centre stage during the address delivered by President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo on Friday, November 6, 2026, in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. Participating in the launch of the United Nations Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation, alongside his counterparts from the Republic of the Congo, Burundi and the Central African Republic, the Congolese Head of State outlined several approaches to preserving the DRC’s forest heritage.
During a press conference held at the Kintélé International Conference Centre, Félix Tshisekedi identified shifting slash-and-burn agriculture as one of the main drivers of deforestation in his country. This farming practice, which involves clearing and burning forest areas to make way for cultivation, contributes, in his assessment, to increasing pressure on forest resources.
To reverse this trend, the Congolese president advocated for the establishment of more permanent farming practices, with greater use of already cultivated land, as well as the promotion of sustainable agroforestry. This approach seeks to integrate agricultural activities with tree planting and management, thereby improving production without expanding the clearing of additional forest areas.
The Head of State also stressed the need to expand access to electricity and promote alternative energy sources to wood fuel. The objective is to reduce households’ and communities’ dependence on firewood and charcoal, whose use contributes to mounting pressure on forests. Reforestation was also among the measures he highlighted.
The official ceremony, held in Maloukou, on the outskirts of Brazzaville, featured a symbolic tree-planting activity. The gesture gave a practical dimension to the launch of this international initiative, which seeks to restore forest areas and mobilise states in support of the sustainable management of natural resources.
Speaking on the occasion, the President of the Republic of the Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, welcomed the international significance of the initiative. He described it as a collective commitment to protecting forests, whose benefits should also be preserved for future generations.
Through his participation in the meeting, Félix Tshisekedi highlighted the need to reconcile agricultural needs, access to energy and the conservation of forest ecosystems. According to information published by the Presidency of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and consulted by the naturelcd.net editorial team, these proposals form part of the efforts advocated by Kinshasa to strengthen the fight against deforestation and promote more sustainable development practices.
