In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), with the support of the consulting firm Afrique RSE, will develop a mechanism for integrating a corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy into the texts of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). The tool will make it possible to encourage the adoption of a sustainable development policy within public and private sector companies on the African continent for the benefit of populations.
After producing a guide on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in mining in Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2016, the firm Afrique RSE, which specializes in sustainable development issues, has been awarded a new contract by the German International Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ). Its new mission concerns the integration of sustainable development rules into the current texts of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).
Afrique RSE will have to identify existing CSR mechanisms in the law of its 17 member states and in the intergovernmental law of these countries in order to strengthen sustainable development. This tool will be deployed in Africa, notably in the DRC, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Ivory Coast, Congo, Comoros, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Putting economic actors at the service of sustainable development
Six years ago, GIZ and Afrique RSE implemented the guide on corporate social responsibility in the industrial mining sector of the Katanga province in the DRC. The document is the product of collaboration between the Chamber of Mines of this Central African country and the Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC), civil society and the communities of Greater Katanga. According to the Sustainable Investments in Katanga (IDAK) platform, this guide contributes to the improvement of the socio-ecological impacts of the exploitation of mineral resources by encouraging companies in the sector to respect the principle of accountability to the State and the population.
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The firm Afrique RSE has gradually established itself in the implementation of sustainable development, notably through the annual organization of the International Forum of CSR Pioneers in Africa, whose first edition was held in November 2011 in Douala, the economic capital of Cameroon. The firm headed by Thierry Téné is currently preparing the realization of the first “Kilimanjaro Business Club”. It is a network of responsible investors and actors committed to a sustainable economy in Africa.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
