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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced an ambitious initiative to establish the world’s largest tropical forest reserve in the Congo Basin.

The Congo Basin spans six Central African countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. It is the world’s largest tropical forest carbon sink, and about 60% of it lies within the DRC.

This massive forest helps clean the air by absorbing about 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Its swampy areas store an extra 29 billion tonnes of carbon, which is roughly equal to three years of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Beyond its environmental importance, the Basin supports the livelihoods of around 60 million people. It is home to more than 10,000 unique species, one-third of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

The new conservation project will establish a green corridor between the eastern province of Kivu and the capital city, Kinshasa. The corridor will span 2,400 kilometres, linking Virunga National Park, the forests of Ituri, and the Congo River, stretching from Kisangani to Kinshasa.

Why does it matter?

The Kivu–Kinshasa Green Corridor is expected to:

• Protect 100,000 square kilometres of tropical forest.

• Create 500,000 jobs in sustainable sectors.

• Strengthen food security, producing 1 million tonnes of food annually for Kinshasa, Africa’s largest city.

Despite its potential, the initiative faces major obstacles. For more than three decades, the region has experienced instability and unrest, often fuelled by armed groups profiting from the illegal exploitation of natural resources. These security issues could seriously affect the ability of conservation teams to operate safely and effectively.

The success of this green corridor depends not only on environmental commitment but also on achieving stability and peace in the region.