STOP ECOCIDE

History of the DRC’s commitment to the recognition of ecocide as a crime at national, regional and international levels
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) hosts approximately 62% of the Congo Basin forest cover, which represents the second largest tropical rainforest in the world after the Amazon. This vital ecosystem plays a crucial role in global carbon sequestration and hosts exceptional biodiversity, making the DRC a key actor in maintaining the environmental balance of the planet.
In addition to this remarkable natural heritage, the DRC possesses abundant strategic mineral resources, including cobalt, copper, lithium, gold and tantalum, which are essential for the global energy transition.
While the country seeks to harness these resources to support sustainable development, it also faces complex environmental challenges, including the need to strengthen regulations, improve environmental governance, and ensure that natural resource exploitation respects ecosystems as well as the rights of local and indigenous communities.
These realities highlight the importance of strong legal frameworks and enhanced international cooperation to protect nature while promoting responsible, equitable and sustainable development.
In this context, the DRC is fully committed to promoting the recognition of ecocide as a crime at the national, regional and international levels, in order to prevent the most serious environmental damage, ensure justice for affected communities, and guarantee the long-term sustainability of our planet.
International commitment
At the international level, the President of the Republic,
Félix Tshisekedi,
has called on States to support the proposal to amend the
Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court,
an initiative led by
Vanuatu,
Fiji and
Samoa,
aimed at including ecocide among the crimes under the jurisdiction of the Court.
This call was notably made during the
United Nations General Assembly in September 2025,
as well as during the opening ceremony of
COP30 held in Brazil.
Regional and diplomatic engagement
At the regional and international levels, the Minister of Environment and New Climate Economy,
Marie Nyange Ndambo,
continues efforts to position the DRC as a leading State on the issue of ecocide within major environmental and diplomatic forums, including the
African Ministerial Conference on the Environment
as well as the different Conferences of the Parties (COP).
National commitment
At the national level, Senator
Cédric Ngindu Biduaya
submitted in December 2025 a draft law aimed at recognizing ecocide in the Congolese Penal Code, marking an important step toward the integration of this crime into national legislation.
Civil society mobilization
At the same time, Congolese civil society has organized itself into a coalition to support initiatives at national, regional and international levels.
This coalition is coordinated by
Congo Basin Conservation Society,
in collaboration with the international campaign
Stop Ecocide International,
to strengthen advocacy for the recognition of ecocide as a crime and to promote the protection of the Congo Basin.
For more information:
stopecocide.earth/drc

https://fr.stopecocide.earth/coalition-drc

#CBCS