In Egypt, the Land of the Pharaohs, and as part of COP 27, tomorrow Tuesday starting at 12 noon in Kinshasa, Unikin experts will discuss how to promote scientific and decision-making tools for the sustainable management of natural resources in the Congo Basin.

Time: Nov 15, 2022 12:00 PM West Central Africa.

At the request of the Rector, Professor Jean-Marie Kayembe, the Secretary General in charge of research, Professor Antoine Tshimpi, asks you to participate, in person for those who are in Egypt and, online, in the Zoom meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81344813222?pwd=cUpqY3FpUG9pMmdIV1U2K2c1aVBtQT09

Meeting ID: 813 4481 3222
Secret code: 249246
One touch on the mobile device.

You can also participate via Skype for Business
https://us02web.zoom.us/skype/81344813222.

Indeed, when faced with pertinent questions, our politicians need scientists to respond to their counterparts in polluting countries. And the University of Kinshasa is fulfilling its role as advisor to the nation and fulfilling its natural destiny as the eldest daughter of universities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

All Africans are demanding and proclaiming that adaptation is a priority for them. What are we adapting to? Are there specificities? Or must all countries in the sub-region adapt in the same way? And how can we cope when our preserved forests become strongholds for terrorist and criminal groups, supported by foreign countries and multinationals from polluting countries?

Second, Africans are demanding to be paid for the environmental services their forests provide to humanity. They have gone so far as to downplay the announcement of 150 million euros proposed by the USA. What are we being paid and how much? For what services? How much greenhouse gases are captured by your forests, peatlands, etc. How much greenhouse gas have you also produced?

Third, we claim the Losses and Damages suffered by local communities and our States.

What are these losses—in agro-pastoral, educational, security, land, etc.? What is the damage? How much is it estimated to be? Who produced this data? Who certified our data? What are the priorities? Which should we start with?

There are still challenges, including the growing need for digital resources, training on new artificial intelligence techniques, the need for materials for field studies and the establishment of a cooperation network between countries.

For one of the rare occasions, the DR Congo, before embarking on this COP-27, organized a scientific Precop in Yangambi, in the heart of the equatorial forest, with all the scientists from three tropical basins.

Then, she organized a political precop. The DRC played a leadership role in this matter.

The group of scientific experts on climate therefore stems from this leadership and the University of Kinshasa is piloting the group at the level of Central Africa, through the Director of the UNIKIN Water School, Professor Raphaël Tshimanga Muamba.

The president of this Central African structure is working to mobilize scientists in the sub-region for a federation of forces.

Michel Bisa Kibul
Moluki pe Motangisi.