U.S. asks Congo to pull some oil blocks from auction to protect forests

Eve Bazaiba, Deputy Prime Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development of Democratic Republic of Congo talks with U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry during an informal ministerial meeting ahead of the COP27 climate summit, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo October 3, 2022. REUTERS/Justin Makangara

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry has asked Democratic Republic of Congo to withdraw some of the oil blocks it has put up for auction in order to protect forests, he said on Tuesday on the sidelines of a climate conference in Kinshasa.

Congo put 30 oil and gas blocks up for auction in July.