CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
|
Congo-Brazza |
ECONOMY
The Congolese government is striving to accelerate its programme of
creating
new jobs and at the same time, getting rid of unemployment
Up to 1972, timber from Congo was the country’s main export. Then came the first petrol boom in 1973 and «black gold» (i.e. oil) took over. However, timber products have held on to second place.
The country’s main equatorial forest region is in the north; then comes the Chaillu (south) forest region, which stretches from Niari region to Lekoumou, on the border with Gabon. According to official estimation, timber production for the whole country will be about 850,000 tonnes by the end of 2001. The north Congo regions, namely Shangha and Likonala, which account for two-thirds of the national timber production, will maintain their quota of 450,000 tonnes. The organisation, the Congolese Wood Industry (CIB) is the largest private company involved in timber exploitation, and reaps the major part of production totals. Every year, CIB pays some 4 billion CFA into the national treasury by way of taxes on timber production. And one citizen says: «The Shangha region has become Congo’s third most important tax provider, coming after Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire». The region merits particular attention, given its ever-increasing different species of trees.
Impact
Several private companies exploit Congolese timber, using methods which vary from one company to another. Some, such as BOPLAC, SOCOBOIS, FORALAC and SFGC had to suspend their commercial activities during the civil war which raged in the southern regions from 1998-1999. But, once peace arrived, some were able to start work again. Boukoulou is a young man who used to be employed by BOPLAC. Now he’s out of work. He says: «During the civil war, equipment was destroyed and this posed a serious handicap when firms such as SOCOBOIS, PLACONGO and BOPLAC wanted to get cracking again. The people also suffered, because many (e.g. local people in Dolisie, south of Brazzaville) were employed in the timber industry. The industry provided employment for more than 1,000 workers. Now they’re unemployed».
Pointe-Noire is Congo’s economic capital. A number of companies in the timber industry are unable to get the wood to Pointe-Noire by the Congo-Océan (CFCO) railway because there aren’t enough wagons available. A CIB official explains the situation: «The CFCO is the only means of getting our products to the coast for export but the railway can’t provide us with sufficient wagons to transport the wood». Because of this, some companies have re-routed their timber to Cameroon’s port of Douala. An official with the Ministry of the Economy states: «This is obviously a loss for the Congolese government, especially concerning taxes».
Signs of hope
In mid-May, in an effort to increase timber production, Henry Djombo, Congo’s Minister for Forest Resources, signed two contracts pertaining to the industrial processing of timber, with Christian Guerrin, a representative of the timber company, Likouala Timber. Under the first contract, some 225,000 hectares will be exploited by the Forest Development Unit (UFA). The second contract endorses a contract previously drawn up in 1998 between the government and UFA, whereby, some 300,000 hectares of forestland under UFA‘s control will be exploited. The exploitation of these two extensive forest areas in northern Congo, will yield an annual global production of 160,000 cubic metres of timber. Some ten million CFA francs are earmarked for investing in the project and will ensure the creation of 781 permanent jobs.
Minister Henri Djombo has reminded the firms concerned that they must respect the stipulations accompanying the contracts. He stressed a number of points of the government’s forestry policy, such as the importance of a «rational exploitation» of the forestland by UFA; cutting down first of all, the main commercial species of trees; and processing the timber on the spot.
In spite of some difficulties, it’s clear that as Congo’s wood production increases and develops, the timber industry will push development in other sectors, at least in the country’s northern regions. Concerning regional development — each company involved in the timber industry must be aware that they have a major role to play in Congo’s socio-economic development, and this to the benefit of the population. e.g. Schools and dispensaries can be built.
Popular discontent
But not everybody is happy. A taxi driver says: «I simply can’t understand why the people can’t share in the income generated by the exploitation of the country’s natural resources. There’s a number of people, mainly those on the upper crust of society (senior officials, politicians), who’ve got it made. Whereas most people stagnate in misery, hunger and poverty».
The government and Congo’s elite have an explanation. They say that what appears to be an unequal distribution of revenue from the country’s natural resources, can be explained by the fact that Congo is rebuilding itself, following the civil war. In any post-war situation, sacrifices have to be made for the good of the country and a greater effort must be made to overcome the consequences of war.
Let us hope that Congo’s intelligentsia will spare no effort in thinking about, and taking care of the population which feels left out and frustrated when it comes to sharing out the public «cake». Itoula is a trader, and is embittered by the whole situation. «When it comes to sharing out public wealth, we’re the ones who are frequently forgotten», he says. «Instead of creating enterprises in order to cut down unemployment in the country, politicians prefer to buy luxurious and expensive cars — cars which cost 60-80 million CFA francs. This is nothing better than mocking the rest of us and must stop».
ENGLISH CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 2001 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement