DR Congo Oil, Gas Exploration Going Ahead Despite Concerns

Environmental group Greenpeace Africa released a report earlier this year stating that planned oil and gas exploration in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo could expose more than one million people to pollution and disease. It also stated that the selling of 30 eastern land blocks that extend into a famous gorilla reserve would also threaten wildlife and food security while fueling conflict, poverty and corruption, writes Mohammed Yusuf for Voice of America.

Despite the government's reassurances than none of these zones are in environmentally sensitive zones, analysis has shown that nine of them overlap with protected areas in the world's second-biggest rainforest including the Virunga UNESCO World Heritage site.

Residents in the area have accused the government of keeping them in the dark and fear the loss of their livelihoods when companies start drilling for fossil fuels. The  reserves are estimated to be worth over U.S.$600 billion.