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A reader sent the following further information and clarifications:

• "without giving any further details such as the number of blocks that would be auctioned, or a timeline for doing so." : he said he'd relaunch the auction "without delay" ("incessamment") : https://x.com/Min_hydro_Rdc/status/1845721448771391580

• "According to the oil and gas industry Upstream news website, at least five companies showed interest in the oil blocks that were up for auction. However, no blocks were awarded." Not only were no oil blocks awarded, but as far as we know none was ever bid for either. The tender procedure requires validating "expressions of interest" before getting to the bidding stage. No bid was ever announced.

• The Minister was legally required to close the auction, because the 18 month deadline for bidding had passed :

"Concerning the first information note, he mentioned the need to close the said tender procedure considering the fact that the evaluation of the process underway for more than 26 months has been characterised by several postponements of the dates for submission and counting of applications for a procedure that cannot exceed eighteen (18) months."

https://communication.gouv.cd/content/uploads/COMPTE_RENDU_DE_LA_DIX_SEPTIEME_REUNION_ORDINAIRE_DU_CONSEIL_DES_MINISTRES_DU_11_OCTOBRE_2024_2_35aa5a64b4.pdf

• As Greenpeace pointed out in its recent press release, "the upcoming process planned by the Ministry will be restricted, unlike the previous open bidding", which raises concerns about the "transparency of the future procedure".

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Interesting that corruption and grift played such big roles here. Should we hope for more money if the same in the US to cancel projects here? ;) Although it's hard to imagine more corruption and grift than we already have tbh.

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A temporary win, but every day some land is not drilled counts as a win, however brief. Of course, there should not be even one more oil or gas well ANYWHERE! We are supposed to be winding this industry down, yet continue with more start-ups! Isn't that the first thing to get stopped? My next article is A Requiem for Humanity.

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