Use of cookies: We use cookies to optimize our website for you and to be able to improve it continuously. By continuing to use the website you agree to the use of cookies.
For more information on cookies, please see our privacy policy
COMIFAC Pavilion, Glasgow, UK, 05 November 2021
The Panel during the High-Level Political Dialogue in the COMIFAC Pavilion
Chaired by H.E. Jules Doret NDONGO, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon and current President of COMIFAC, a high-level session on the commitment of Central African countries and the Multilateral Financial Mechanisms for the protection of Congo Basin was held today, 05/11/2021 in the COMIFAC Pavilion at the COP26 Conference Centre in Glasgow, UK.
This session, co-organised by COMIFAC, German Facilitation of Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) and Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), brought together in a high-level political dialogue, HE Jules Doret NDONGO, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon, current President of COMIFAC, Honorable Dr. Christian Ruck, CBFP Facilitator of the Republic of Germany, Dr. Christ DIKINSON, Senior Specialist Ecosystem Management Division, GEF, and Mr. Paul MARTINEZ, Senior Climate Specialist, GCF and Mrs. Berta PESTI, Director General of CAFI Secretariat, who intervened online. This important session was moderated by Dr. Dany POKEM, CBFP Facilitation.
About thirty participants in person and many others online took part in the session. The dialogue started with introductory remarks by Dr. Christian RUCK, CBFP Facilitator for Federal Republic of Germany, who presented the history of the highly participatory and inclusive process that led to the SINGLE Declaration of Central African countries at the Berlin Symposium, which called on the international community to "FAIR DEAL" for the protection of Congo Basin, given its crucial importance in helping the world to face the dual crisis of climate and biodiversity. According to him: "All stakeholders have actively participated in the process for 18 months, Governments of Central African countries, civil society organisations, parliamentarians and local elected representatives, donor countries, international organisations and institutions, technical and financial partners, research institutions, private sector, etc. "This Declaration, commitment of the COMIFAC member countries, led to the result we have today: the Glasgow Declaration, and the commitment of donors coalition to finance the protection of forests and peatlands of Congo Basin of 1.5 billion US dollars... "FAIR DEAL” is not just a donation, Central Africa countries have something very valuable to sell, not just climate service, but also biodiversity service.” ... “We are moving in the right direction, as leaders of Coalition, Great Britain and Germany, have said, but it is a beginning, because we need sustainable funding for Congo Basin, 10 times more than what is promised now and an investment plan," he continued. Finally, he called once again on Central African countries to coordinate their efforts and actions.
According to Dr. Christ DIKINSON, Senior Specialist Ecosystem Management Division, GEF, and Paul MARTINEZ, Senior Climate Specialist, GCF, following the Glasgow Declaration on Congo Basin Finance, they presented, each for their own organisation, the current situation of financial commitments through projects in the sub-region and the perspectives.
Dr. Christ DIKINSON, stated that GEF is in cycle 7 of its financing, in which Congo Basin has 64 million US dollars, as a contribution to sustainable management of forests for the benefit of 6 countries among which: Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, CAR, DRC. Within this framework, five of the seven projects submitted by these countries have been accepted and are about to start.
In terms of prospects, eleven major programmes are in progress in the new cycle starting in 2022, with the largest one focusing on protection of primary forests in the Amazon, Congo Basin and South-East Asian Basin. The central component of this funding is dedicated to Congo Basin. This major programme will extend assistance to protected area management, livelihoods and alternative development for indigenous and local people in protected areas periphery, REDD+, payment for ecosystem services and Nature+ policies.
"We have a GEF 7 and GEF 8 coordination platform within GEF, and we wanted a political cohesion and a strengthened partnership with Central African countries.
"In early 2022, we will know which amount is allocated to a country and the purpose. It is necessary for countries to have a common voice and a coherent and harmonised investment plan to be effective, through multi-country, multi-sectoral and inclusive projects.
Referring to the natural wonder represented by forests of Congo Basin, Dr Christ DIKINSON, highlighted the role of Congo Basin in global rainfall and water resources (30% of global rainfall comes from Congo Basin... Congo Basin is not just vast expanses of forest, but also water. To this end, we need to intervene in Congo Basin to support the fight against climate change, deforestation and forest degradation.
In terms of perspectives, he proposed a step-by-step approach and to develop strong leadership, with projects to prepare countries readiness, as has been the case in other basins, to develop models that allow the development of sustainable agriculture, to fight against fires... "There is an urgent need to have a strategic framework and multi-country projects, a necessary coalition and a single goal", he insisted.
In her speech online, Mrs. Berta PESTI, Director General of CAFI Secretariat, gave an update on CAFI status commitments in Central Africa, with an envelope of 800 million US dollars. These commitments have been materialised through the signing of agreements with partner countries. British Prime Minister Boris JOHNSON signed, here at CoP26, a financing agreement of 500 million US dollars with President Felix TSISEKEDI of Democratic Republic of Congo, and two years ago the French President, Emmanuel MACRON, signed a financing agreement with President Denis SASSOU NGUESSO of Republic of Congo. These projects concern sustainable agriculture, wood and sustainable forest management, forestry, etc. "According to CAFI, it is a matter of sensitising donors and Central African countries, so that projects are developed and meet political needs of countries and their populations", ... “Agreements are there, but they must be implemented," she said. CAFI does not yet have a financing agreement with some countries such as Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic, and we hope that by CoP27, we shall be able to sign agreements for these countries”.
After a question-and-answer session following these opening statements, HE Jules Doret NDONGO, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon and current President of COMIFAC, concluded the session by giving the following key points (i) The entire international community is today unanimous with the fact that Congo Basin forests are the most important in the world, first net carbon sink and last bastion of human survival; (ii) Donors have clearly expressed their willingness to mobilise financial resources for the protection of this important basin; (iii) Although financing mechanisms exist, they are still difficult for our countries in Central Africa; (iv) It is therefore a matter of searching together, with technical and financial partners, mechanisms that best respond to realities of our countries; (v) COMIFAC has modern and diversified means of communication that can be used to communicate widely on different mechanisms that exist, which are very often ignored or poorly exposed.
Jérôme Guefack
This thematic summary and Compendium serve to compile the discussions, recommendations and conclusions reached over 4 intensive days of work in thematic ateliers (Streams), plenary, side events and political discussions.
Mr Christophe Guilhou, Director of Sustainable Development, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France, and Mr Ghislain Moussavou, Director General of Forests, Ministry of Water, Forests, the Sea and the Environment, in charge of the Climate Plan and the Land Use Plan, Gabon, were officially installed as CBFP Facilitators on 12 July 2023 during a ceremony to hand over the CBFP Facilitation from Germany to Gabon and France, presided over by Prof. Sanctus Niragira, Minister of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Burundi, and current Chairman of COMIFAC.
At the 11th Meeting of the Governing Council of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) on 12 July 2023, the Honourable Dr. Christian Ruck presented to the members of the said Council an 11 point summary of the activities carried out by the CBFP Facilitation of the Federal Republic of Germany during its mandate....
The French-Gabonese facilitation is part of this unprecedented framework. Firstly, because this is the first time since the creation of the Partnership that this work has been carried out jointly by a donor country, France, and a Congo Basin forest country, Gabon. In addition, the One Forest Summit, held in Libreville in March 2023, reiterated the importance of Central Africa's forests, promoting greater scientific cooperation, sustainable value chains and the development of innovative financing mechanisms.
The 11th meeting of the CBFP Governing Council was held on July 12, 2023 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This "statutory" meeting in the organised by the CBFP, of which the objective was to present the Roadmap of the Franco-Gabonese Facilitation to the members of the CBFP Governing Council, took place just after the handover of the CBFP Facilitation from Germany to France and Gabon.
M. Christophe GUILHOU was recently appointed Co-Facilitator of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) by the Government of the French Republic for the period July 2023 to 2025. Please download his biography...
The presentations of the CBFP geographical blocks at the Second International Conference of Ministers on Transboundary Transhumance Nexus: transhumance, protected areas and natural resources, development, peace and security from 10 to 12 July in Yaoundé Cameroon are available. Please download the presentations of the Country Investment Plans (PIP) of the different blocks....
The Congo Basin, sometimes referred to as the “heart of Africa” and “lungs of the world,” absorbs more carbon than the tropical forests of the Amazon and Southeast Asia combined. It's home to 75 million people and species found nowhere else on Earth. Yet these forests are disappearing at alarming rates.
We hereby cordially invite you to our regional launch of the German cooperation project "Peaceful and inclusive transhumance in Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad" at the Second International Conference of Ministers on Transboundary Transhumance.
Dear Panelists, dear Guests, You are invited to take part in the sharing and reflection workshop that IOM Cameroon and KAS are organizing on the theme: "Practical solutions to migration, security and climate change: Initiatives and commitments by civil society and the United Nations to address and resolve challenges". As part of the Second International Ministerial Conference on Transboundary Transhumance - Nexus.
Yaoundé, July 4, 2023 - From July 10 to 12, 2023, under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Cameroon, His Excellency Paul Biya, Cameroon will host the Second International Conference of Ministers on Transboundary Transhumance Nexus: transhumance, protected areas and natural resources, development, peace and security. Please download the Document...
The Global Environment Facility’s governing board has approved plans to establish a “game-changing” new fund to finance the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to put nature on a recovery path by the end of this decade. The GEF Council decision, taken during a meeting in Brazil, clears the way for the launch of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund at the Seventh GEF Assembly, to take place in Vancouver, Canada, in August.
The purpose of the visit on Friday June 23, 2023 was for the team from the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon (MIREX) to make sure that the Hilton's facilities are adequate to welcome the ministers and participants expected to attend the Ministers' Conference on transborder Transhumance from July 10 to 12, 2023.
This is the objective of the virtual meeting held this Monday, June 19, 2023, between the CBFP Facilitation of the Federal Republic of Germany, headed by the Honorable Dr. Christian Ruck, and some fifteen networks and forums that are members of the CBFP Civil Society College.
"I've already attended the COP in France, in Egypt, and everyone kept talking about the Amazon. So I said to myself: why not hold the conference here, so that everyone knows about the Amazon?", justified Lula. A climate summit in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced on Friday May 26 that the UN had chosen the Amazonian town of Belem to host the COP30 climate conference in 2025. "It will be an honor for Brazil to receive representatives from all over the world in our Amazon," Lula wrote on social networks.
The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) will deploy $63 million in urgent funding for countries on the frontlines of climate change following a meeting of the Global Environment Facility-managed funds in Brazil.
Douala, Cameroon, May 24-26, 2023. As part of the implementation of the recommendations of the first high-level concertation for peaceful transborder transhumance in the Lake Chad Basin, held in Ndjamena in September 2019, ECCAS and ECOWAS have undertaken a mapping study of actions and initiatives contributing to the prevention and resolution of conflicts linked to competition for access to resources in the Lake Chad Basin, CAR and DRC. This study was financed by the ECCAS Border Program Support Project (APF-CEEAC).
To read: DRIVING AFRICAN-LED CONSERVATION THROUGH THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP – Letter from CEO … A Landmark conservation gathering… APAC highlights… The power of network-building…
This workshop took place from June 13 to 15, 2023 in the conference room of the ZION BEACH hotel in Bujumbura, Burundi. The aim of the sub-regional meeting was to develop a RECEIAC action strategy to reinforce the promotion and ownership of the revised COMIFAC convergence plan by stakeholders.
The online training course in Botanical Garden management was created and financed as part of the SEP2D Program (Sud-Expert Plantes - Développement Durable/ Sud-Expert Plants - Sustainable development). The SEP2D program is part of the international drive to support and accompany scientific communities in the South, reaffirmed at the 10th Conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya in 2010. It aims to strengthen interactions and partnerships in plant biodiversity between research, teaching and the demands of society.
Yaoundé, Cameroon, June 9, 2023- The COMIFAC Gender Committee, created by a memorandum dated January 11, 2023, held its first meeting at the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat Head Office. The meeting was attended by some twenty members representing the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat, technical partners and civil society organizations, including FAO, FTNS, GIZ, Rain Forest Alliance, REFADD, RIFFEAC and IUCN.
The second edition of the report on the summary of forest and wildlife offences published by the Field Legality Advisory Group (FLAG) in 2021 analyses Cameroon's forest and wildlife litigation based on the summaries (a document presenting court cases and files monitored by the forest and wildlife administration over a given period) published by the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife and obtained by FLAG over the period 2019-2020.
The quality of a blue carbon ecosystem project, essential for investor appeal, must be judged by strong social outcomes, benefit sharing, and community support, all of which can ultimately determine the project’s sustainability and contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
When it meets this month in Brasilia, the Global Environment Facility’s governing body will consider a record $1.4 billion work program and set the contours of a new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, speeding up international efforts to confront species loss and related crises.
The Climate Chance Summit Africa 2023 will bring together on the 23rd, 24th and 2th of October 2023 at the Palais des Congrès in Yaounde 1,500 African actors from the "climate community": high-level personalities, experts, actors in the field, representatives of local governments, businesses and organised civil society.
Celebrations for World Environment Day 2023 kicked off in host-country Cote d’Ivoire, as millions of people prepare for similar activities across the world. Venues across the capital city, Abidjan – from its historic lagoon to its first modern art museum - shone the spotlight on this year’s theme #Beat Plastic Pollution.
Congo Basin Carbon brings together information on various research and education projects in the Yangambi and Luki MAB Reserves in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Through this website we hope to strengthen research networks and improve project visibility, specifically for carbon research. Tropical rainforests such as the forests of the Congo Basin comprise nearly half of the world’s vegetation carbon. Intact tropical forests represent a carbon sink at a level that is higher than other vegetation types. The issues of carbon stocks, sinks and sources in tropical forests are therefore a central topic in international policy debates on climate changes.
At last year’s United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26), 141 leaders committed to halt and reverse forest loss and degradation by 2030. Forests, particularly tropical ones, are known to play a crucial role in removing carbon from the atmosphere, partially offsetting the effect of greenhouse gas emissions. This is a highly valuable service to the global climate, meaning the world should be willing to pay to ensure it happens. In this policy note, we look at just how valuable that service is, and put that in the context of aid efforts to protect forests.
During the process of photosynthesis, trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Rainforests act as important 'carbon sinks' stemming global heating. The Congo rainforest is the planet’s most important “lung,” new data has revealed. The world’s rainforests absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide, slowing down global warming.
The world is getting a better understanding of just how important forests are in the global fight against climate change. New research, published in Nature Climate Change and available on Global Forest Watch, found that the world’s forests sequestered about twice as much carbon dioxide as they emitted between 2001 and 2019. In other words, forests provide a “carbon sink” that absorbs a net 7.6 billion metric tonnes of CO2 per year, 1.5 times more carbon than the United States emits annually.
This brief describes the first efforts to integrate agroforestry with charcoal production in the Yangambi tropical forest landscape. Activities resulted in both increased food crop production and reforestation, as well as the establishment of producer-led local associations and greater collaboration between communities and local authorities.
The GEF Secretariat prepared this document to summarize the GEF’s potential role in a financial mechanism for the internationally legally binding instrument under negotiation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). The document is prepared to help inform deliberations. It also includes questions and answers to key issues raised thus far by countries. GEF’s role as Convention Financial Mechanism: The GEF serves as a/the financial mechanism for five Conventions, namely the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Minamata Convention on Mercury, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Chemicals, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
On May 8, 2023, in the BOUN'S Hotel conference, in Yaoundé, a workshop was held to launch the process of drawing up the Cameroon Country Investment Plan (CIP) on the nexus of transboundary transhumance, protected areas, peace and security, and development. Please download the final communiqué of the workshop...
Geneva and Yaoundé, 26 May 2023. The Ministry of Economy, Planning and Land Planning of Cameroon (MINEPAT) and CAFI are launching two Calls for Expressions of Interest today to all relevant implementing organisations concerned, representing a maximum of 60 million US$.
WWF is supporting the Government of Cameroon in her effort to restore more than 12 million hectares of degraded landscapes in the country. In 2017, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife committed, on behalf of the Government of Cameroon, to restore 12,062,768 ha of degraded landscapes under AFR100 and the Bonn Challenge by 2030. Of these, 80% are in the three northern regions of Adamaoua, North and Far North; with the remainder in the high plateau, Centre region, vast forest and coastal areas (Mangroves).