Mark asked Tim Butcher:

Has the situation in the DRC improved since Blood River? I work as an Observer at the World Bank Forest Carbon Partner Facility trying to reduce deforestation. The DRC jut got approved for an $80 million project which we were objecting to as it does little for forest governance and has a huge chance of not helping the forests, result in the involuntary resettlement of indigenous people and forest dependent communities

Tim Butcher Mark – I made my trip 12 years ago but while a lot has happened in DRC since then, little has changed. There is an elected government, which is a good step forward. But it remains largely unaccountable, mired in corruption allegations and not fit-for-purpose when it comes to many of the basic functions of a meaningful state. I would be seriously worried about oversight, implementation and enforcement of any project involving foreign donor money. That said, I would be confident that it would be possible to find community groups in the DRC able to give you a read-out on what is happening, even in the remotest rainforest areas. Locals always know best. TimB

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