European Year for Development debate; threats to Africa's Virunga National Park

MEPs will ask the Commission on Wednesday evening how it plans to help protect Virunga National Park, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and home to endangered mountain gorillas, from the dangers posed by oil exploration, armed conflict and corruption. They will also discuss earlier in the afternoon the outcome of the European Year for Development.

The debate on the protection of Virunga, Africa's most biodiverse park, will start late in the evening (at around 21.30). A resolution will be voted at Parliament’s second December session.

MEPs will also debate the outcome of the European Year for Development (EYD2015) with Commissioner Neven Mimica i and the Council, immediately after the votes at around 19.30. The European Year for Development sought to raise awareness of the difference global cooperation is making in some of the world's poorest countries and why this is important for Europeans too. The slogan for the Year was “Our world, our dignity, our future”. The closing event of EYD2015 takes place in Luxembourg on 9 December.

You can watch the plenary debates via EP Live, and EbS+.

Note to editors on Virunga Park

Virunga National Park, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on the border with Uganda, was established in 1925 and has been strongly supported over the years by the EU, its largest donor. Virunga is renowned for being the most biologically diverse protected area in Africa and home to critically endangered mountain gorillas, elephants and lions in a landscape that includes volcanoes, glaciers, lakes and plains.

By supporting infrastructure reconstruction and increasing security in the park, as well as putting in place a training programme for rangers and park managers, the EU has helped the resumption of tourism in the eastern part of the DRC. According to the Commission data tourism in the Virunga Park has produced millions of euros in revenue, and has already created job opportunities and boosted economic activity.

REF. : 20151201IPR05556

Updated: ( 02-12-2015 - 16:46)