The first African Parks Congress (APAC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), entitled ‘African protected areas for people and nature’ took place from 18 to 23 July 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda.
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The fair held during the event featured a hundred exhibitors, with several organizations represented - including the Central African Forest Commission. With exhibits highlighting the sub-region’s know-how as well as networking opportunities to forge international partnerships, Central African actors did everything they could to be noticed, making the ECCAS-COMIFAC pavilion the most visited pavilion at APAC 2022.
APAC 2022 gathered over 2,000 delegates, including leaders and decision-makers from African governments, civil society, indigenous peoples, business, and academia. International experts in science, conservation policies and practices were also in attendance. The APAC meeting aimed to define the role of protected areas in safeguarding Africa's well-known wildlife, providing essential ecosystem services and furthering sustainable development while also protecting the continent's cultural heritage and customs. The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC), which is very dedicated to this topic, took an active part in the event, putting on multiple speeches, hosting a pavilion, displaying posters, and holding numerous side events.
COMIFAC and its member countries’ goal in attending the congress was to shape African policy concerning biodiversity conservation and share their experiences in creating and managing protected areas, including cross-border protected areas.
More specifically, this entailed: (i) enhancing the visibility of COMIFAC, its member countries and partners (technical and financial); (ii) sharing progress and major challenges in the field of biodiversity conservation, protected area management, (iii) bolstering international commitment and rallying new technical and financial partners to implement the COMIFAC Convergence Plan.; (In fact, the Convergence Plan’s implementation in Central Africa has advanced significantly. The number and surface area of protected areas has increased by 50% in 20 years, There are currently 206 protected areas in the region, covering 800,000 km2.These areas account for nearly 15% of the region’s land surface and 5% of its sea surface area).
Thanks to the technical and financial support of its partners, especially the European Union through BIOPAMA, RIOFAC, and ECOFAC programs, CIFOR, and German Cooperation through the GIZ Support Project for COMIFAC, the active participation of COMIFAC and its member countries in APAC stood out with the following strengths: (i) the purchase and operation of an ECCAS-COMIFAC exhibition pavilion, (ii) the hosting of two high-level sessions, and (iii) participation and speeches of members of the COMIFAC delegation in meetings hosted by technical and financial partners (iv) media and communication efforts
Strong showing from Central Africa
The Central African sub-region was represented at the congress by six ministers of protected areas and wildlife from the following COMIFAC member countries: Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and Rwanda, which was the host country. Taking the floor in turn, they each made a point of highlighting the value of Central Africa’s forest ecosystems, the second green lung of our planet, advocating for the concerns of indigenous peoples and local communities to be taken into account when it comes to financing biodiversity conservation as part of the fight against climate change and inequality in Central Africa. They requested the support of technical and financial partners in organizing the next International Forum of Indigenous Peoples of Central Africa (FIPAC).
In addition to the Ministers, the Deputy Executive Secretary and Technical Coordinator of COMIFAC, the Permanent Secretary of OCFSA as well as a delegation of a dozen experts representing the Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC, the National COMIFAC Coordinating Offices, Wildlife and Protected Areas, IUCN member national or regional institutions, initiatives, programs or projects (OFAC, BIOPAMA, RIOFAC, ECOFAC) etc. also took part in the congress.
The ECCAS-COMIFAC Pavilion
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Serving as a hub of social interaction, the ECCAS-COMIFAC Pavilion drew large crowds at the Kigali event. It provided the setting for a host of official events (high-level panels), special events (thematic sessions, publication presentations, celebrations), and other activities.
Politicians, scientists, civil society, etc. a host of other figures kept the audience captivated. Central Africa pulled crowds throughout the Kigali congress. The public was treated to the best in various fields and nothing but the best. And all the neighbouring stands watched in amazement at the perpetually packed pavilion. “The 2022 Congress of African Parks came to confirm our sub-region’s leading position” an ECCAS official cheerfully commented.
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