Soco’s decision to withdraw from Virunga, Africa’s oldest national park, is a victory for the people that depend directly on the park for their food and livelihood. It’s also a triumph for everyone who values the rare plants, animals and habitats the park was set up to protect. Soco’s commitment comes following mediation as part of the OECD process...“Today is a victory for our planet and for good practices in business. This success is the work of government officials, activists within DRC and supporters worldwide who joined together to help remove the most immediate threat to Virunga,” said Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International. “Now is the time for the DRC government to reaffirm its conviction that Virunga has outstanding universal value for all humanity by cancelling all oil concessions overlapping the park as requested by UNESCO.”...Soco will withdraw from Virunga after finishing its current activities, which include seismic testing in Lake Edward. The company has committed not to drill for oil in the park, which could lead to severe environmental damage.