Cartographie et analyse des dynamiques d’appropriation territoriale. Entre la conservation, l’exploitation minière et la migration

étude géopolitique et socio-environnementale des nouvelles formes contemporaines d’occupation du Territoire de Faradje

Abstract

The Territory of Faradje, located in Haut-Uele in northeastern DRC, is undergoing major changes in its land structure due to several external factors. These include the large arrival of South Sudanese refugees, the expansion of Garamba National Park, increased mining activities by foreign companies, and the long-term presence of nomadic Mbororo herders. These developments, often happening outside official legal frameworks, are quietly changing traditional land boundaries, breaking up territorial space, and putting growing pressure on natural resources. This leads to tensions between communities and shows the limits of current humanitarian management.

In addition, conservation measures in the park restrict traditional land use, while mining activities, carried out without transparency or respect for environmental rules, cause serious ecological damage and force people to move. The Mbororo’s presence, marked by conflict over land and mobility, increases both land and security tensions. These changes call for a critical review of territorial mapping and an urgent reform of land governance, based on recognizing local rights, ensuring transparency, and promoting inclusive dialogue.