The Congo River Basin rainforest, vital in the fight against climate change, has long been protected in part by its remoteness. But the river acts as a highway for sprawling flotillas of logs, sent downstream by tiny villages and international lumber companies alike, all seeking profit from a vulnerable forest.
Being Africa’s second-largest country by landmass, the DRC is endowed with mineral resources and boasts the world’s largest cobalt and coltan reserves.
The country’s president removed Albert Yuma Mulimbi as chairman of the state mining firm. Cobalt in Congo is a crucial resource in the global clean energy revolution.