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The Federal Republic of Germany facilitates the Congo Basin Forest Partnership in 2020-2021
Berlin, Germany - 14 February 2019 The Federal Republic of Germany has agreed to take over the Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) for the period 2020-2021. It is thus honoured and very pleased to be able to take over this role and to continue the initiatives and work undertaken by the previous CBFP Facilitators: the Kingdom of Belgium, the European Union, Canada, France and the United States.
Dr. Christian Ruck, has been appointed by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to assume the role of CBFP Facilitator for the next two years. Dr. Ruck is a seasoned, high-level politician with proven expertise and a keen interest in the Congo Basin. He has worked both at the German and international level, representing his country in numerous international fora and has accepted several important mandates.
Dr. Ruck was officially installed as CBFP Facilitator of the Republic of Germany on 14 February 2020 at BMZ Berlin during a solemn ceremony presided over by Dr. Gerd Müller, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Member of the German Federal Government. This ceremony marked at the same time the official launch of the activities of the German Facilitation. It brought together Ambassadors of Central African countries, Ambassadors and diplomatic missions of donor countries, German parliamentarians and sectoral ministries concerned with the topic as well as national and international organizations.
"It is both an honour and a challenge for me to lead an initiative such as the CBFP" said the new facilitator, who was, among others, from 1990 to 2013, Member of the Bundestag, German Federal Parliament, from October 2002 to November 2009, Chairman of the Working Group on Economic Cooperation and Development of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group and from November 2009 to 2013, Dr Ruck was Vice-Chairman of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group and responsible for Economic Cooperation and Development, Environment and Energy. In 2013, Dr Ruck assumed the position of Director of the KFW office in Cameroon, with a broad portfolio, including the forestry sector. More recently, he was with KFW in Tanzania covering the green sector portfolio.
"It is essential for the Federal Republic of Germany and the other CBFP partners to support the efforts that Central African countries are striving to implement for the conservation and sustainable management of their natural resources and the fight against poverty. The sustainable development of the magnificent forests that these countries are home to is one of the keys to their future development. The preservation of their unique biodiversity and the control of the carbon stocks they contain are also global challenges that call for global solutions. Thus reflecting the importance and global responsibility of humanity in the preservation of its forests, natural resources and biodiversity capital. But above all the positive impact that the conservation and sustainable management of these forests have on people's livelihoods and on the global climate. For these solutions to emerge, stakeholders need to come together and suggest relevant and effective strategic directions. This is why the CBFP is important, given the multiple pressures that threaten the integrity of its ecosystems and whose causes are diverse and linked to, among others, the resource and policy governance framework, the security situation, socio-economic development and the effects of climate change".
"What can the Congo Basin Forest Partnership do? - Our joint partnership can develop or initiate problem analyses and corresponding solutions. It brings together allies, but also parties in conflict in an atmosphere of voluntariness and institutional flexibility. It can initiate, activate and support action programmes and transboundary agreements, and it can try to coordinate and align the multitude of donors, funds and programmes with a single ambition: the protection and sustainable use of the forest ecosystems of the Congo Basin. »
Dr. Ruck, the new facilitator, is pleased that the outgoing facilitator, provided by the Kingdom of Belgium from January 2018 to December 2019, has worked with partners to consolidate the governance of the CBFP, further develop and guide the partnership in the enhanced thematic and policy dialogue among partners.
"The facilitation of the Federal Republic of Germany obviously intends to build on the results achieved by the facilitation.
To this end, the new facilitation intends to propose two priorities to its partners:
Firstly: to continue the good initiatives of the Belgian facilitation, namely : (1) the sustainable management of transhumance in a context of growing herd sizes, (2) the cross-border fight against organised poaching which has destructive impacts, particularly on certain emblematic species, is threatened and destabilises the living conditions of local populations and constitutes major threats to security in certain cross-border regions of the Congo Basin, (3) and the inclusive dialogue with China.
Secondly, as a new objective: sustainable uses, which has many facets, including: more effective payment for the ecological services of forest functions; improved management of protected areas with greater benefits for the local population; certification not only of forest concessions, but also of plantations or the exploitation of mineral resources; initiatives for ecotourism and value-added processing of forest products; and support for all initiatives to restore and reuse degraded areas. Emphasizes the Facilitator in his address "Concerted responses are now urgently needed, and the CBFP provides a framework for developing them". A Facilitation Roadmap of the Federal Republic of Germany is being finalized in consultation with CBFP partners.
It will be communicated to the partners and posted on the CBFP website after its adoption by the parties in the coming weeks.
Note to the editors :
The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) was established in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in response to United Nations General Assembly resolution 54/214, which called on the international community to support the efforts for the conservation and sustainable management of the forests of the Congo Basin, as reflected in the declaration of the Heads of State of Yaoundé 1999.
The Congo Basin Forest Partnership is affiliated with the partnerships of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. As a "Type2" partnership, it is a multi-stakeholder partnership allowing member organisations to cooperate on a voluntary basis. The CBFP brings together 115 members, including 10 Central African countries and nearly a hundred partners concerned with the forest ecosystems of the Congo Basin (ECCAS, COMIFAC, partner countries, civil society of the Congo Basin, international NGOs, multilateral organizations, research and training institutions, private sector operators). Cooperation within CBFP aims to support this common vision of the Central African Heads of State, in particular by improving the effectiveness of the measures taken, including technical and financial support, in favour of biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of forest ecosystems, the fight against climate change and poverty reduction in Central African countries in accordance with the COMIFAC Convergence Plan.
Cooperation and governance structure of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership
In keeping with its non-binding and voluntary nature, the CBFP does not have a formal institutional structure. Instead, it has a set of informal structures: CBFP Meeting of the Parties; CBFP Governing Council; CBFP Colleges; CBFP Facilitation.
The CBFP was initially facilitated by the United States from January 2003 to December 2004, France from January 2005 to October 2007, Germany from October 2007 to September 2010 and Canada from September 2010 to December 12. The United States again assumed the Facilitation from May 2013 to December 2015, the European Union from January 2016 to December 2018. The Kingdom of Belgium from January 2018 to December 2019. The CBFP Facilitation is now provided for the second time by the Federal Republic of Germany for the period 2020-2021.
The Federal Republic of Germany, which has been a member of the Partnership since the launch of the initiative in 2002, was one of the original supporters of the "Congo Basin Forest Partnership" at its inception. Eighteen years after this initial launch, the CBFP continues to flourish, with today 115 members and an average of more than 500 participants in the meetings of the parties. Better yet, the CBFP is, without a doubt, a capital for our actions today and a hope for our future achievements. It represents one of the good examples of the concept of multi-stakeholder partnerships, contributing to intergovernmental, multi-stakeholder engagement.
Abidjan, 3–6 September 2024 : Leveraging financing and partnerships for combating drought, land degradation and desertification in Africa The note available to dowload explores the critical role of financing and partnerships in addressing the interrelated challenges of drought, land degradation, and desertification in Africa.
Bonn / Laramie, 4 September 2024 - Today, a groundbreaking online map was launched showing the migration paths of land animals around the world. An international team of over 80 scientists has collaborated to create the first-ever interactive migration map of hooved mammals such as antelopes, guanacos and zebras, that routinely travel large distances at different times in the year. Such animals are collectively called “ungulates".
The African Forest Forum (AFF) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s Regional office for Africa, is organizing a three-week Community of Practice (CoP) on “Climate Change in African Forestry and Wildlife Sectors”. The CoP will be held from9 - 27 September 2024, from 12:00 noon - 3.00 pm Nairobi time/ 9:00 am -12.00 noon GMT., via Howspace – a virtual ‘African Forestry Community’ platform – for knowledge sharing and learning.
To prepare the next post-Malabo plan, the ECCAS Regional Economic Community (REC), in partnership with AU, and the Feed the Future Policy LINK Program organized regional stakeholder consultations for the Central Africa region. The participants at the consultation were: the CAADP focal points and government representatives of different countries, as well as private sector and non-state actor representatives from the seven ECCAS Member States. Please download the report...
The tenth special session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) regional consultations will be held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, from 30 August to 6 September 2024, under the theme “Raising Africa’s Ambition to Reduce Land Degradation, Desertification, and Drought.” The theme underscores the critical need to address the current state of land degradation in the region and restore this vital resource.
Rome – A new roadmap guiding the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on forests was endorsed on Wednesday by members at the 27th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 27) in Rome. The FAO Forestry Roadmap - From Vision to Action 2024-2031 sets out how FAO will work to enhance the role forests play in meeting forestry-related goals and targets and in addressing global challenges in coming years.
In recent years, the international community and countries in central Africa have developed various initiatives and programmes to halt biodiversity and natural resource degradation, and to address challenges to sustainable development in forest ecosystems.
At the 26th IUFRO World Congress in Stockholm from 23-29 June 2024, the booth hosted by the Scientific and Academic College of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) provided an opportunity for Crispin Ilunga-Mulala Mushagalusa, a PhD student at the University of Liège (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech), to present his research as part of the UFA - Reforest project (Reforestation in the Forest Management Units of Cameroon).
This study addresses the need to explore the attitude and perception of local residents toward wildlife and conservation. Questionnaires, surveys and field observations were used in data collection. A total of 400 people was conveniently selected in 16 villages from October to December 2015. Data analysis relied mainly on factor analysis and structural equation modelling in SPSS 21 and Smart-PLS software.
The objective of this side event on 4 June 2024 was move away from rapid conflict mitigation and prevention towards to holistic and integrated coexistence programs between human and forest elephants in rainforest of the Congo Basin.
The theme for International Youth Day 2024 (12 August) is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” This theme highlights the key connection between digitalization and accelerating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing the crucial contributions of young people in this transformative process.
On 23 December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided, in its resolution 49/214, that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year. The date marks the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations. The International Day observance will take place online on Friday, 9 August 2024. This year’s theme is: Protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact.
CBFP, which is one of the oldest Type 2 partnerships in the United Nations system, registered in the ECOSOC and UN DESA partnerships, and strengthened in SDG 17, is calling on its partners to make the conclusions of the High-Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development their own... the call is crystallised in advocacy for Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership with diverse stakeholders for sustainable developmen. In Fact, Partnerships are the glue for SDG implementation and is been essential to making the Agenda a reality.
This hybrid event aims to set the stage for the 2025 IYC, which will be officially launched during the ICA Global Cooperative Conference, scheduled for November 25-29, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The New York event will serve as a platform to deepen the theme of IYC2025, unveil the media package, discuss the UN resolutions outlining the modalities for the IYC launch.
Side event organized by the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme on the 04/06 from 8h30 to 9h30 am. United Nations member states are committed to reducing hunger, improving health, and conserving natural resources through the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to conserve 30% of terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, promoting sustainable wildlife management and equitable benefits. However, in Central Africa, the unsustainable wild meat trade threatens food security and biodiversity, making these goals challenging to achieve.
The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme presented its innovative Legal Hub at the recent 20th Meeting of Parties (MoP20) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. This event was held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), from 3 to 5 June, 2024. A specific side-event titled "A Tool to Connect Different Sources of Law" showcased the Legal Hub’s critical role in enhancing the legal frameworks governing wildlife management across multiple countries, including the sub-region.
In this 20th meeting, the consortium comprising the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), RIKOLTO, and the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB) actively participated in the sessions held from June 3 to 5, 2024, at the Pullman Hotel in Kinshasa. During a panel focused on agroforestry and agribusiness, the consortium presented solutions for sustainable and effective land management around the Itombwe Reserve and the Kahuzi-Biega National Park through two main themes...
A platform named “Congo Basin Monitoring and Evaluation Database” combining several key sources of information has been developed by WWF to support the management and development of conservation and research projects. This tool has the advantage of being transversal to several possible topics and themes in the field of natural resource management.
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.
