Congo park turns to chocolate gorillas in conservation push
Threatened by armed conflict, volcanic activity and rampant deforestation, Africa's oldest national park is turning to a new product to raise its profile and boost conservation efforts: chocolate gorillas.
Virunga National Park in war-ravaged eastern Congo is marking its 100th anniversary this month by producing 25,000 handcrafted treats at a nearby chocolate factory to be sold in Europe, including Belgium, Congo's former colonial power.
Virunga is home to many of the world's last mountain gorillas, yet much of the park is under rebel control and fighting has accelerated forest loss.
M23 rebels have seized eastern Congo's two largest cities since January in an unprecedented advance that has risked igniting an all-out regional war.
Cocoa for the chocolate gorillas comes from farms created at the periphery of the park, part of a push to promote agricultural and industrial activities in the area so residents do not turn to logging and poaching.
The chocolate factory is located 5km outside the park.
Profits from sales of the chocolates are meant to be reinvested in nearby communities.
Clarisse Kyakimwa has been working her small cocoa farm for three years.
"This cocoa has several benefits. It helps me send my children to school, feed them, pay my hospital bills," she said.
Buyers take her crop to the Virunga factory, but she has not seen the finished product: a glistening chocolate rendering of a full-grown gorilla with its arms on the shoulders of one of its young.
"They say this chocolate is taken abroad... I've never seen this chocolate, since we're not used to eating it," Ms Kyakimwa said.
Symbol of 'resilience'
Instability has been a problem at Virunga since well before M23's latest advance.
"With the insecurity we're seeing in the region, it's sometimes difficult to access the raw material, which is cocoa," said Roger Marora, master chocolatier and a native of North Kivu province.
The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda has provided arms and troops to M23.
Rwanda denies backing M23 and says its military has acted in self-defence against Congo's army and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.
Mediation efforts by various African leaders as well as Qatar have not yet yielded a ceasefire.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Meet the Wexford woman empowering diverse voices in Irish business – ‘A lot of workplaces are still catching up to the reality of what Ireland is right now'
Growing up in Enniscorthy, Mamobo Ogoro admits to having feelings of 'not belonging'. Arriving in the Co Wexford town as a three-year-old she was part of the first wave of African immigrants to come to these shores, to attempt to integrate into communities which, up until that point, were almost exclusively white Catholic.
The Journal
5 days ago
- The Journal
Trump-Putin phone call will not lead to 'immediate peace in Ukraine', US President says
A CALL BETWEEN the US and Russian Presidents will not lead to 'an immediate peace' in Ukraine, Donald Trump has said. In a post to Truth Social , following the first call between the two presidents since the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin in 2022, Trump said the leaders discussed the war. A recent and sophisticated attack by Ukraine's Secret Service on more than 40 Russia's bombing planes , which have targeted civilian locations and infrastructure in the past, was discussed during the call, Trump said. The attack saw many Ukrainian drones make their way into Russia's borders using a shipping container before taking off, destroying the planes and the containers used to transport the weapons. It is the largest attack on Russian military infrastructure that has taken place inside the country's borders since the beginning of Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine over three years ago. Advertisement Trump wrote that, during the hour and 15-minute phone call, Putin said 'very strongly' that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields. He did not say whether he had warned Putin off any such retaliation against Ukraine, which Washington has supported through financial and military support in its fight against Russia. 'It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace,' he added. The Republican has repeatedly alarmed Ukraine and Western allies by appearing to side with Putin over the war. This included a blazing Oval Office row with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But Trump has also showed growing frustration with Putin as Russia has so far derailed the US president's efforts to honour a campaign pledge to end the war within 24 hours – even if he never explained how this could be achieved. Includes reporting by AFP News Agency Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Private Sean Rooney's mother given High Court permission to sue United Nations over ‘distress' after Lebanon killing
THE mother of a young Irish soldier killed in Lebanon has been given permission to sue the United Nations in the Irish courts. His mum Natasha, from Newtown Cunningham, Co She is suing for mental distress allegedly sustained by her and other members of the soldier's family as a result of his death. Her counsel, Ray Motherway BL, told the High On December 14, 2022, Pte Rooney was driving a UN-marked armoured SUV-type vehicle which was travelling as part of a two-vehicle convoy on an administrative run to Beirut Read more in News Four soldiers were in each SUV. The vehicle driven by Pte Rooney became separated from the other one and ended up in a town called Al-Aqbiyah where it came under gunfire. Pte Rooney was tragically killed. Central to the case against the UN is the allegation that their officials allegedly ordered soldiers at the Irish base to stand down from going to assist as they believed other peacekeepers may have been closer. Most read in Irish News In an affidavit to the High Court, grounding the application, solicitor Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, said on December 14, 2022 Pte Rooney, who was on a UNIFIL deployment in Lebanon, was in a two-vehicle convoy. The two vehicles became separated in or near Ai Aqbiyah, Lebanon and Private Rooney came under gunfire and he was shot and killed. Sombre moment Private Sean Rooney's remains land in Ireland to be reunited with heartbroken family According to the affidavit, investigations by the As the United Nations has its main office and place of business in the Mr Mackin said the United Nations is a proper party to the proceedings as it was involved in the operation of UNIFIL and Pte Rooney was killed in action on a UNIFIL peacekeeping mission. APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION He said Ireland was an appropriate jurisdiction to hear and determine the intended proceedings as the balance of the intended defendants have their main offices within the State and witnesses are likely to be resident in Ireland too. He said it would also save on costs rather than have the dispute litigated in Lebanon or in the United States. Mr Justice Paul Coffey accepted jurisdiction and granted permission to issue a plenary summons against the United Nations and serve it on the UN based in New York. A copy of the personal injuries summons which will set out the allegations against all parties including the UN will now be served on the United Nations, which will have 42 days to enter an appearance in the case. Taoiseach 'We have been very unhappy at the pace in which that trial has taken place, it's been slow, and we're looking for full accountability." 1 Sean Rooney was killed while on UN duty in December 2022 Credit: PA
