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On 30 September 2022, the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Honourable Dr Christian Ruck, spoke via videoconference at the "Extraordinary Meeting of the COMIFAC Council of Ministers in preparation for various Conferences of the Parties (CoPs) in 2022: Climate, Biodiversity and CITES. Please download the CBFP Facilitator’s speech...
Please download the COMIFAC ES’ statement
SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE Dr CHRISTIAN RUCK, FACILITATOR OF THE CONGO BASIN FOREST PARTNERSHIP (CBFP), Brazzaville, 30 September 22
Your Excellency, Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo
Your Excellency, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon,
Current President of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC)
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
Commissioner representing the President of the ECCAS Commission
Executive Secretary of COMIFAC
Excellencies, Ambassadors and Representatives of regional, sub-regional and international organizations
Ladies and Gentlemen, all protocols observed,
It gives me great pleasure to have the chance to speak at the beginning of this extraordinary session of COMIFAC Ministers in my capacity as Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. Firstly, allow me to convey the gratitude of the CBFP members for the positive cooperation between the Central African nations and the Federal Republic of Germany CBFP Facilitation.
This extraordinary session of the COMIFAC Council of Ministers is a high-stakes meeting given the items on its agenda pertaining to the Central African countries' preparations to take part in upcoming international meetings, which include: the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 15th COP on Biodiversity and the 19th COP to CITES.
The experts of COMIFAC member countries will submit draft statements of common positions for your review and I would like to inform you that the CBFP Facilitation supported this work by participating in the meetings of the COMIFAC working groups and discussions of the CBFP thematic streams.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
It’s been several months since COP 26 took place in Glasgow and the 19th Meeting of CBFP Parties was held in Libreville. Since then, I have engaged in a number of activities and would like to give you a brief rundown of these and some of the results achieved.
In fact, the Glasgow conference marked a major turning point in negotiations, particularly for the Congo Basin, when 12 donors announced funding of up to USD1.5 billion in support of protecting Congo Basin forests. Undoubtedly, the COMIFAC nations expected a "free fund" to be available for mobilization. Allow me to point out that donors have little flexibility in the short term due to varying rules and procedural restrictions. As a result, they are limited to endorsing budgetary decisions that have already been made or are being planned for one or two years in advance.
Regarding the calls for transparency expressed in the three announcements of the financial commitments made by the Glasgow partners (Pledges), specifically on the "protection of Congo Basin forests," "local communities and indigenous peoples," and "forests and land use," I would like to inform you that a detailed report on these announcements to deliver this transparency is still in progress.
Indeed, excluding two donors who have not submitted their forms and have already been contacted in this regard, all the donors have completed and returned the pledge forms that were sent by the British and American Co-Chairs of the CBFP Donor College on Transparency. The British co-chairs will compile them as soon as the remaining donors send in their completed questionnaires.
Form collection will be delayed due to the London government reshuffle that was halted by Queen’s death. Hence the report's findings on the three pledges will only be released during COP 27. However, British Minister Alok Sharma will be presenting a status report next week on behalf of the CBFP Donor College.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
Sustainable and equitable financing for ecological services remains one of the top concerns of the CBFP Facilitation, which is working as requested by the CBFP general assembly in Libreville to establish a task force charged with developing the key arguments for the political debate on the issue of sustainable financing of ecological services between the international community and the Congo Basin. I'm certain that the only way to make forest protection competitive is to ensure fair compensation for ecological services.
In keeping with the COMIFAC Declaration's " Fair Deal, as we call it" more and more donors are prepared to offer the Congo Basin countries much more additional financial resources as compensation for providing ecological services. Nevertheless, this will not come as a "blank check." The donors seek an agreement they can rely on and defend in front of their tax payers.
This is why before making such a commitment over the medium and long term; we must first address crucial and unresolved issues. We have already begun to do so, and now want to link the respective centres of excellence working on these issues, including institutions in Africa, with the Taskforce as soon as it is established in accordance with the Libreville recommendation at the 19th Meeting of Parties of the CBFP, in order to come up with a basic proposal for a more comprehensive "Fair Deal" as soon as possible.
However, I must also kindly request our Central African partners to allow us enough time to achieve this. I must say that this project cannot be completed without you; all your inputs and thoughts are therefore welcome. This will enable us to present the donor community with a sustained, reliable framework that is devoid of any governance bias and which would gladly welcome their pledges.
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Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
The Central African nations have had a voice since Glasgow and continue to do so. Let's keep the momentum and work together to achieve our shared objective of securing the long-term funding required to enable the Congo Basin's forests to compete with other land uses. I have reason for optimism and my recent statements on this topic before the German Federal Parliament, the European Union Parliament, and other Western capitals, confirm that we are moving in the right direction.
In this connection, we suggest holding the next High Level Political Dialogue during the second week of COP 27. The dialogue will centre on crucial topics related to the Glasgow Pledge, the "Fair Deal" the Taskforce, etc…
In addition, I'm thrilled to share that Bezos Earth Fund recently joined the CBFP as its 125th member. The Republic of Korea has also joined, making all of the Glasgow Donor Group's members full members of the CBFP Donor College, where discussions are currently taking place. A second announcement I'd like to make is that the CBFP now includes the International Bamboo Organization (INBAR).
In regards to uneven financial distribution and unbalanced cooperation with Central African nations—many of which are still not included—I would like to let you know that I have brought up this issue during discussions with the Donor College, which has been made aware of the issue and agrees that more discussion is necessary.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen
The German CBFP Facilitation has begun organizing the second International Conference of Ministers on Transhumance, also known as "N'Djamena 2" in compliance with a recommendation from the 19th Meeting of Parties of the CBFP.
I am aware that the Congo Basin nations are now making their voice heard in important international discussions, and that the value of Central African forests and their contribution to climate regulation are being acknowledged. This is a step forward that the CBFP partners will continue to support together.
On this note, I wish you every success in your discussions.
Long live the Congo Basin Forest Partnership
Long live the Central African Forest Commission
Long live the Economic Community of Central African States
Thank you for your kind attention.
Approximately 5% for Central African countries and the bulk for other geographical zones... towards an "Accelerator for the preservation of the Congo Basin forests and peripheries" towards Belém COP 30 Climate post Glasgow?
... WRI’s Global Restoration Initiative and researchers from Land & Carbon Lab have partnered with Meta to develop a groundbreaking AI foundation model that we’ve used to produce the world’s first global map of tree canopy height at a 1-meter resolution, allowing the detection of single trees at a global scale...
The 20th CBFP Meeting of Parties (MoP20) held in Kinshasa, DRC from 3 to 5 June 2024 The Co-Facilitation of the Republic of France and Gabon for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) organised five high-level round tables, on different topics during the MoP20.
The 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP20) was a high point, marked by the participation of eight ministers from the Congo Basin and more than 600 participants, illustrating the importance and scope of our partnership. The CBFP proved once again that it is an essential forum for dialogue and cooperation. The diversity and commitment of the stakeholders present were a driving force for emulation and fruitful collaboration. Finally, the exemplary cooperation with the Congolese authorities greatly contributed to the success of this meeting.
Kinshasa, MOP 20 of the CBFP At the end of the proceedings, among other major resolutions, Ms Cécile Ndjebet, Champion of Forests and Champion of the Earth, Co-Leader of the CBFP civil society college, was elected by consensus to head the "Regional Civil Society Coalition for Forests and the Environment of the Congo Basin".
The Scientific and Academic College of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is actively participating in the 26th IUFRO World Congress from 23 to 29 June 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden, with a booth located at A01:01 in Exhibition Hall A at Stockholmsmässan, Mässvägen 1, 125 80 Stockholm. Over the course of the week, a series of workshops will be held to present the platforms of forestry science in the Congo Basin and highlight the latest research, innovations and applied sciences.
10 June 2024: ITTO has urged more attention to the need for capacity building and training in the Congo Basin to ensure that the region’s vital forest sector and timber industry will be able to meet the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and other international trade measures.
It is with great respect and a deep sense of responsibility that we, the Africa Climate Action Initiative (ACAI), support the 20th Meeting of the Parties of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (RDP20) which will be held from 3 to June 5, 2024 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. This approach aims to strengthen our collective commitment to the sustainable management and conservation of the Congo Basin, a critical global resource, and to catalyze transformative actions that align with a shared vision for a sustainable and prosperous future.
The USAID FABS Project is organising 4 captivating webinars in French and English on the theme of nature-based tourism in the Congo Basin. These events will take place on Tuesday 11 and Thursday 13 June 2024. The aim of these webinars is to communicate the challenges and opportunities of sustainable tourism in Central Africa, while promoting mutual learning for the development of tourism in protected areas. The sessions will focus in particular on studies carried out in the DRC, Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville.
Libreville, Gabon 22 April 2024, Rainforest Trust has officially joined the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). Rainforest Trust is now one of 129 member countries and organizations working together in the Congo Basin Forest Partnership to promote sustainable resource management, combat climate change and its impacts, improve living conditions and protect the unique biodiversity of Central Africa’s tropical forest.
The French-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to inform you that the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 3-5 June 2024. If you wish to attend the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP) of the CBFP and related events, please register before 05 May, 23:59, 2024 by completing the form below and clicking on the button “register”. It will not be possible to attend the meeting without a properly completed registration procedure.
The 20th Meeting of the Parties to the CBFP (MOP20) will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from 3 to 5 June 2024. The MOP20 is organised by the Co-Facilitation of the French and Gabonese Republics of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). Please find the provisional programme of the 20th Meeting of the Parties of the CBFP (MOP20).
The French-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to inform you that the 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership will be held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from 3-5 June 2024. If you wish to cover the 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP) of the CBFP and associated meetings, please register before 16 May 2024 by filling in the form below and clicking on the "register" button.
The "Youth Forum for the Forests of Central Africa 2024" is scheduled to take place over 2 days from 31 May to 1 June in Kinshasa. It will bring together 150 young people from Central Africa and Europe who are committed to protecting forests and preserving the environment. This forum is organised by the Franco-Gabonese facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), a 128-member initiative that serves as a platform for multi-sectoral dialogue on forest conservation. The Youth Forum will be a preliminary event to the CBFP Meeting of the Parties, which will take place from 3 to 5 June in Kinshasa, and will serve as a general assembly for its members.
Abuja, 19 April 2024, His Excellency Alhaji Balarabe Lawal, Federal Minister of the Environment of Nigeria and His Excellency Jules Doret Ndongo, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife of Cameroon sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation of transborder ecosystems and the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources along their common border of more than 1,500 km.
The Facilitation of the French and Gabonese Republics is pleased to launch a call for proposals to host side events during the 20th Meeting of the Parties (MOP20) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from 3-5 June 2024. In line with the themes of MOP20 of the CBFP, side events provide opportunities for information exchange, dialogue, cooperation and the creation of synergies between CBFP partners. Deadline for submissions: 19 April 2024. Applicants for selected proposals will be contacted on 30 April 2024.
The Co-Facilitation of the French and Gabonese Republics of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to inform you that the "Signing Ceremony of the Framework Cooperation Agreement on the Conservation of Transboundary Ecosystems and Sustainable Management of Forest and Wildlife Resources between the Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon" will take place on Friday 19 April 2024 at 10:00 am at the Continental Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. In conjunction with this signing ceremony, a technical round table on the implementation of the framework cooperation agreement on the conservation of transboundary ecosystems and the sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources between Nigeria and Cameroon will be held at 12 noon on Thursday 18 April at the same hotel.
The Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC) is deeply saddened to announce the death of Mrs Sylvie Louisette NGO YEBEL Epse FOUNGA, Communications Expert of Cameroonian nationality, at the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat. She was murdered and her body found on Sunday 7 April 2024 at around 8.30 am in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
The CBFP Youth Forum and Meeting of Parties will take place from 31 May to 5 June 2024 in Kinshasa and will bring together more than 700 stakeholders committed to preserving the forests of the Congo Basin. The Meeting of Parties and the Youth Forum will be co-chaired by Ambassador Christophe Guilhou (France) and Ambassador Flore Koumba Pambo (Gabon) and the current President of COMIFAC, His Excellency Mr Prosper Dodiko, with the participation of senior representatives of the DRC.
CIDT wishes to recruit an enthusiastic, people-centred international development professional to join our dynamic, multidisciplinary team. To be considered for this post you will have an understanding and experience of global sustainable development work and be prepared to work both in UK and overseas. You will be qualified to master’s level in one or more of the following core areas of our work: Global Sustainable /International development/ Development Studies, Development Effectiveness, Gender and Social Inclusion, Sustainable Livelihoods, Natural Resource Management, Forest Governance or Education and Development and have expertise in the related fields.
This brief note sets out the principle of an ecological bonus-malus mechanism, designed to change behaviour by modifying the relative prices of products, while aiming for budget neutrality (no tax losses for the State). It applies in particular to the agricultural and forestry sectors, but can also be applied to other areas. We are currently working with various colleagues on the timber and cocoa sectors, and on an automated simulator with a user-friendly interface that can be easily used by government departments and their partners who would like to test the tool and, if necessary, implement it.
The Co-Facilitation of France and Gabon of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) is pleased to announce the selection of COMIFAC by the CBD Secretariat as a centre for technical and scientific cooperation for the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Framework for Biodiversity in Central Africa. With the highest score in Africa, COMIFAC ranks 4th in the world. The co-facilitation congratulates COMIFAC on this major distinction.
On Tuesday 12 March 2024, from 16:30-18:00 CET, the first dialogue between the College of Donors and the Scientific and Academic College (SAC) of the CBFP was held in virtual form. Over 70 people participated actively in the dialogue. The aim of the meeting was to promote cooperation as well as scientific and academic dialogue on the forests of the Congo Basin as part of the implementation of strategic priority 1 of the 2023-2025 roadmap of the CBFP.
The Franco-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) organised the 13th meeting of the Governing Council of the CBFP by video conference on Tuesday 9 April 2024. Please, download the report...
Many countries have recently adopted bioenergy as part of a critical strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet targets under the Paris Climate Agreement. Because of increased efficiency and lower production costs, along with legislative support and investment incentives, bioenergy use is swiftly becoming a renewable energy substitute for fossil fuels. The study provides a better understanding of bioenergy issues, potential and sustainability to inform countries in the global South and provide guidance on integrating bioenergy into their national energy plans by proposing a simplified sustainability framework for wood-based bioenergy.
A workshop was held in Brazzaville on Thursday 7 March to review the work carried out by the communications agency Afrique Environnement Plus, attended by a dozen participants, including companies from the sector. The new website for the Congolese forest-wood industry (which will shortly be the subject of a dedicated article) and a communication checklist developed as part of the ASP Congo project were presented.
As part of the ASP Congo project, a series of videos gives a voice to companies committed to responsible forestry practices.This video, produced with the financial support of the European Union, shows what forestry companies are doing to ensure the safety of their employees and to manage their waste properly through their HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) policy. In this way, they are driving forward an economy that respects people and ecosystems.
As part of the ASP-Green Pact project, supported by the European Union and led by ATIBT, we are pleased to invite you to participate in a survey on trade relations with Cameroon, with a response deadline set for April 4th. This initiative aims to refine our understanding of current trade relations between European importers and Cameroonian producers, with a particular focus on lesser-known timber species (LKTS) from Cameroon. Furthermore, this approach is part of the preparations for the International Wood Fair (CIB) to be held in Nantes, offering an exceptional platform for enriching exchanges and partnership opportunities.
The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2013. Each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations. The theme for International Day of Forests 2024 is Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World. To mark International Forest Day 2024, several CBFP partners have organised special activities.
In honor of International Women’s Day, TOP AFRICA NEWS had the privilege of Interviewing Rwanda’s Minister of Environment on the important role of women in environmental conservation and sustainable development. Join us as we delve into the Minister’s insights and initiatives in empowering women to be leaders in protecting our planet for future generations.
Almost 90% of the world’s forest loss is driven by the expansion of agriculture, thanks to growing consumer demand for commodities like coffee, cocoa, beef, soy, palm oil and timber. Because of this, governments, businesses and NGOs are increasingly targeting action to reduce deforestation in this sector. Several markets are developing policies that prohibit the sale or importation of products grown on deforested land, while hundreds of consumer goods companies have made zero-deforestation pledges.
The institutions and training centres that are partners in the ADEFAC project are receiving support to better integrate continuing vocational training into their training routines.Following the initial organisational assessments carried out by andragogues consultants, the ADEFAC project's technical team took it upon itself to carry out organisational assessments of the vocational training institutions and/or technical teaching establishments that are partners in the project.
With 8 months to go before the European Union's new anti-deforestation regulation comes into force, where do we stand? What progress has been made, and what concerns and questions does the timber industry have at this stage?
WASHINGTON (March 18, 2024)—World Resources Institute is pleased to announce that Sharan Burrow, Visiting Professor, Grantham Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics; Johannes van de Ven, Managing Director, Good Energies and Board Chair, WRI Brasil; and Cecilia Martínez, Former Director, UN-Habitat and Board Chair WRI Mexico have joined its Global Board of Directors.