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Minutes of the 10th CBFP Governing Council

Libreville (Gabonese Republic) - 7 July 2022 - The 10th CBFP Governing Council Meeting was held on held on 7 July 2022 and chaired by Hon. Dr. Christian Ruck, CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, co-chaired by His Excellency Mr. Jules Doret Ndongo, Minister of Forestry and Wildlife of Cameroon, current Chairman of COMIFAC and hosted by His Excellency Prof. Lee White, represented by His Excellency Michel Stéphane Bonda, Minister Delegate of the Ministry of Water and Sanitation of Cameroon. Lee White, represented by His Excellency Michel Stéphane Bonda, Minister Delegate of the Ministry of Water, Forestry, Sea and Environment in charge of the Climate Plan and Land Use Plan, Gabon. Minister of Water, Forestry, Sea and Environment of Gabon. The meeting was enhanced by the effective participation of politicians, ministers of forestry / environment of Central African countries and High Representatives of ECCAS, COMIFAC, OCFSA and GVTC.

About 150 participants, representing the seven colleges of CBFP and about forty participants, also actively attended the meeting:

• CBFP Regional College: ECCAS, COMIFAC and Ministers accompanied by the COMIFAC National Coordinators of COMIFAC member countries;
• CBFP civil society college: CEFDHAC-CPR and ROSCEVAC accompanied by the REPAR representative;
• CBFP International NGOs College: AWF, WCS accompanied by
• CBFP Private Sector College: ATIBT and Volcanoes Safaris
• CBFP Donors' College: US – UK
• CBFP Scientific and Academic College: Uni Laval – RIFFEAC
• CBFP Multilateral College: UNESCO and GVTC

Following the introduction by the CBFP Co-Facilitator and the minute's silence held in memory of the former Executive Secretary of COMIFAC, Mr. Raymond Domba Ngoye, who passed away recently, the draft agenda was adopted by the Governing Council. The CBFP Facilitator, Hon. Dr. Ruck, and the Executive Secretary of COMIFAC, Mr. Hervé Maidou, respectively delivered keynote speeches underlining the importance of this 10th CBFP Governing Council meeting within the framework of the 19th meeting of the parties in Libreville.

Hon. Dr. Ruck gave a summary of the CBFP Facilitation Report of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Governing Council and outlined the prospects for the CBFP in the future. In this respect, he stressed the importance of fully integrating protected areas into the management of Central African forest landscapes in synergy with other economic and social activities. The next roadmap should insist on strengthening the coordination of the multiple actors involved in the Congo Basin Forest sector and make it a priority, as well as enhancing efforts to better regulate the transhumance sub-sector with regard to the implementation of the Ndjamena Agreement. A second meeting, Ndjamena 2, should be held soon. The third key point of the roadmap is to strengthen the dialogue with China, pointing out that the majority of Central African tropical wood is sold on the Asian markets. He announced that the College of Donors will be co-chaired by the UK, and confirms that donors will increase their involvement in the new funding mechanisms following the commitments announced in Glasgow. In conclusion, the Facilitator congratulated France for agreeing to take over the next CBFP Facilitation.

On behalf of Mr. Philippe Lacoste, Director of Sustainable Development at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his representative Ms de Boisfleury underlined France's interest in taking over the facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. The major projects undertaken by the German facilitation will be continued by the French facilitation.

The floor was given to the various CBFP college presidents to share their respective statements and recommendations:

1. ROSEFAC and CEFDHAC, on behalf of the Civil Society College, call for greater involvement of civil society in all the actions undertaken to improve forest management, both at the level of national bodies and local actions and in future international conferences.
2. AWF, on behalf of the international NGO college, after acknowledging the efforts of the facilitator, stressed the importance of systematically recalling the proposals of the previous Board meeting and reviewing their implementation. He underlined the importance, during meetings of the parties, of consultations between the different colleges and of having a space to exchange between the different streams in order to be able to cross and compare points of view. He confirmed AWF's commitment to continue with the CBFP and announced that the college would henceforth be led by WWF and WCS.

• ATIBT, on behalf of the private sector college, representing actors from the forestry, agro-industry, mining, SME/SMI and craft sectors, stressed the importance of focusing on concrete approaches. For the next meeting, it is proposed a) to work on a landscape approach with all their key stakeholders, and b) to work on the issue of carbon as a key issue for the future. The private sector suggested that, beyond the forestry and conservation sectors, the CBFP consultation could be opened up more widely to stakeholders in the extractive and agricultural sectors.

1. Professor Khasa of the University of Laval, on behalf of the College of Researchers and Training Institutions, summarised the activities and development of the networks involved in forestry and environmental training in Central Africa over the past thirty years. He stressed the importance of mobilising substantial financial resources, particularly for the training of new doctoral students, but also for developing new training and applied research offers.
2. The representative of the USA, on behalf of the college of Financial Partners, recalled that meetings between donors had accelerated in 2022, following the Glasgow Declaration. The United Kingdom is now co-leader of this college. The issue at stake is working on the various possible approaches for the provision of financial resources announced in Glasgow and preparing the announcements expected at the forthcoming COP 27 in Egypt.

In conclusion, the facilitator thanked all the members of the Board for their commitment. Meetings of Parties are complex exercises, with a multitude of events concentrated and often simultaneous in a single week. It is impossible to participate in everything, but everyone can participate and contribute to the discussions on the issues that are most important to them.

The current President of COMIFAC thanked Dr. Ruck for all his efforts in the German facilitation and handed him a souvenir from Cameroon.

The key message from the President of COMIFAC, following today's closed session of the Ministers, is the announcement of their commitment to honour their financing commitments to COMIFAC and even to increase the level of their contributions. It is indeed important that the Central African States strengthen their commitment for better governance of the Congo Basin forests, in order to consolidate the commitment of Central African partners to finance forest conservation and development in Central Africa.

ECCAS Commissioner Tabuna also recalled that beyond forest conservation, all development issues must remain the focus of both national and international actors in Central Africa.

On behalf of the host country of MOP19, the Minister Delegate of MINEF Gabon concluded that after 20 years of partnership within the Congo Basin, the time has come to really implement actions. This is also the time to consider and value the Central African forest, which is a gift to the planet. Meanwhile, the COMIFAC/CEEAC countries are confronted with enormous development needs that call for a holistic approach at the level of landscapes. The COMIFAC countries are confident that with the French facilitation, which will soon follow the German facilitation, they can move forward and take new steps together. The Minister Delegate concluded by thanking the German Facilitation and all forest management actors in Central Africa.

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