Kinshasa, July 5, 2025. Beneath the gilded ceilings of the Congo Hall at the Pullman Hotel, glances are exchanged, microphones capture diplomatic speeches, and cameras immortalize a promise: to turn biodiversity into a driver of social justice.
President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi has officially launched the roundtable discussions on the Bonobo Credit—an initiative as ambitious as it is enigmatic. Presented as a groundbreaking financial mechanism, it aims to benefit local communities and Indigenous peoples. But behind the inspiring speeches and the photographers’ flashes, a pressing question emerges: can this promise of environmental solidarity deliver in a country where the forest is both a treasure and a battleground?
The idea is compelling. It proposes assigning financial value to emblematic species—bonobos, okapis, mountain gorillas—based on their ecological and cultural roles. The resulting funds would then be directed to the communities that protect them. Biodiversity, valued not just emotionally but in actual credits. The concept is clear: give economic value to the ecological services provided by nature in order to encourage its protection. A kind of “green stock market” centered on the unique DNA of the Congo Basin, the planet’s second-largest rainforest after the Amazon.
But what does “Bonobo Credit” actually mean for those who live closest to this biodiversity? How can we ensure that Indigenous peoples and rural communities aren’t reduced to mere extras in a green finance performance staged for Western donors?
At the podium, President Félix Tshisekedi addressed these concerns head-on: “These communities, the true sentinels of our ecosystems, deserve equitable recognition and fair compensation for their efforts.” A firm tone, laced with hope, echoed through the hall. But on the ground, local actors are demanding guarantees. The reality remains complex: a lack of infrastructure, weak legal frameworks, and a track record of conservation projects often rolled out without meaningful community consultation.
“Bonobo Credit must not become just another concept to fill PowerPoint slides in Brussels or Geneva,” warned a Congolese environmental expert who wished to remain anonymous. “If we talk about environmental justice, then we must start by co-creating these mechanisms with the communities—not imposing them afterward.”
Yves Milan Ngayngay, Director General of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), sought to reassure: “We want to expand this program to other emblematic species to enhance its environmental and community impact, in line with the President’s ecological vision.” He mentioned the Lomako-Yokokala Reserve, where efforts to habituate bonobos are already underway with support from the Antwerp Zoo Foundation (AZF). Yet again, several local NGOs report that the tangible benefits for nearby populations remain limited. From the government’s side, the tone is more urgent. Benjamin Toirambe, Secretary-General for the Environment, emphasized: “The pace of these concepts’ development must match the rate of biodiversity loss. We must act now.” A real sense of urgency—but one that should not justify haste or lack of transparency.
Because preservation cannot simply be decreed—it must be negotiated. And the Democratic Republic of Congo’s natural capital—its forests, endemic species, and Indigenous knowledge—cannot be monetized without governance that is transparent, inclusive, and rigorous. The roundtable, continuing in Kinshasa from July 7 to 8, must take that crucial step: not only establishing a methodology to quantify biodiversity into credits, but also defining a clear, fair, and enforceable framework for redistributing funds. The risk of financial capture by elites or foreign private entities is real. The carbon credit model, once hailed as a solution, has shown its limitations.
More than just an event, this roundtable is a test: a test of the DRC’s ability to imagine a modern conservation approach aligned both with international standards and local needs. The Green Corridor between Kivu and Kinshasa—an enormous ecological zone of 544,000 km²—could become a model, if principles of participation, transparency, and justice are truly upheld. For now, the words are in place. The stage is set. But, as with many environmental initiatives, the real future of the Bonobo Credit will be decided behind the scenes—in the villages, among Indigenous communities, and in local management committees.
If that future is built on inclusion, equity, and ecological sovereignty, then yes—perhaps the DRC could lead a new global pact between biodiversity and human dignity. Kilalopress will continue to update you on the key outcomes of the roundtable.
By kilalopress
