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A Digital Conference of the Multilateral College of the CBFP: College members mobilized around the Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany of the CBFP
The partners of the CBFP multilateral college discussed the roadmap of the CBFP Facilitation by the Federal Republic of Germany ; the impact of Covid-19 on their interventions in Central Africa ; and the situation of human rights and conservation in Central Africa. The following were the highlights of the meeting: (1) The partners of the multi-lateral college agreed to respond to the questionnaire of the CBFP Facilitation within the framework of the preparation of major international events: CBD and UNFCCC process; (2) A consultation/survey within the college which will be launched to produce an inventory and status , of the impact of the Covid-19 on Protected Areas and Parks – towards an Emergency Fund for Covid-19 for Congo Basin and advocacy for integration of the Environment aspect in UN Emergency Fund; (3) towards the promotion and mainstreaming of human rights in the programs and projects of the partners, especially an increased accompaniment of Central African countries in the internalization of human rights in the training.
Approximately twenty-six (26) participants representing the following organizations took part: CMS, GVTC, GEF, ITTO; UN Environment, UNDP, UNFCCC and the CBFP Facilitation Team of the Federal Republic of Germany ... man in training.
The agenda adopted during the meeting covered the following items:
Co-Leaders´ welcome remarks
Federal Republic of Germany CBFP Facilitator remarks - Synthesis of the CBFP Facilitation Road Map and process for collecting ideas and statements from CBFP´s members as well as the Agenda of CBFP
Covid 19 and Multilateral College members´ activities in Congo Basin
Nature conservation and human rights in the Congo Basin
Next steps and College Meetings
Co-Leaders´ welcome remarks, Dr Andrew Seguya, Executive Secretary of the GVTC
The opening remarks of the CBFP Multilateral College Leaders were delivered by Dr. Andrew Seguya, Executive Secretary of the GVTC. It consisted of a briefing by the Facilitator from the Federal Republic of Germany and the participants on a synthesis of the presentation of the CBFP Multilateral College Leaders at the last CBFP Governing Council held in Douala, Cameroon in December 2019. His intervention was crystallized on the action plan of the CBFP Multilateral College articulated around four axes of intervention, namely : (1) creation of new World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves and management (2) Sustainable Forest and Wildlife management (3) Strengthening ECCAS member States in law enforcement, prosecution and justice.
Following his opening statement, the CBFP Facilitator from the Federal Republic of Germany - some highlights of the Facilitator's intervention
The Covid 19 situation has prevented planned travel to the region and to the US. The Road Map has been developed and approved by the COMIFAC President in Office. There is continuing support for the N’Djamena process that was launched by the previous Facilitator and the support to transhumance and transboundary anti-poaching effort, as well as the China dialogue which is more important than ever. The German facilitation is dominated by the EU Africa Summit, the EU China Summit and the CBD and UNFCCC conferences. These present important opportunities for the Congo Basin, and the Facilitator envisages the CBFP as a means of providing a clear and common voice from the Congo Basin at these global platforms. Coming together with one voice also presents the opportunity to create some discipline in coming together to create a shared declaration. The primary focus over next months is to prepare a joint declaration from the partnership. In Douala many members expressed an interest to strengthen communication within, between and from the Colleges. It is therefore the purpose of the technical questionnaire to gather structured input from the Colleges for input into the Declaration and backup information that will substantiate the points made in the Declaration. The contributions from the CBFP Colleges should be submitted by 1 July 2020, to enable the Facilitator to prepare by summer holidays.
Covid 19 and Multilateral College members´ activities in Congo Basin
Continuing the agenda of the meeting, Dr Andrew Seguya made a presentation on the impact of Covid-19 on Central African Protected Areas/Parks with an emphasis on the : « REGIONAL EVD AND COVID-19 CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR MOUNTAIN GORILLAS” coordinated by the GVTC but with a coalition of partners including the IGCP, Gorilla Doctors, and other partners - Financial support from the IGCP coalition, partners in conservation at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and UNESCO.
Dr. Andrew Seguya noted the need for intervention through the creation of a Covid-19 Emergency Fund for Protected Areas/Parks. This Fund would cover among othersThis Fund would cover among others:
Funds to sustain essential park operations,
community engagement,
livelihood support due to loss of tourism revenue;
Personal Protective Equipment (conservation personnel, financial/supply) for park workers and conservation researchers;
Hygiene facilities for conservation personnel/park edge communities and
Furthermore, ITTO suggested that they would support the CBFP facilitation for dialogue on China. She recalled the organization of the major conference in Shanghai by ITTO last October 2019.
FAO proposed to all participant to download the following contribution of FAO:
The UN Environment also raised the idea on how to incorporate environmental dimension in the UN Multi-Partners international trust Fund (MPTF).
On the way forward: Need for a survey to better understand the need which will support the process toward an Emergency Fund. What is the need!
The GVTC will reach out to the college to conduct the survey on COVID 19 which will support the design of the Emergency Fund.
Nature conservation and Human rights in the Congo Basin
Dr Annie-Claude Nsom's presentation provided an overview of the link between nature conservation and respect for human rights in the Congo Basin. Various organisations involved in the defence of human rights, notably Survival Interational and Rainforest foundation, denounced at the international level situations of violations in DRC, Cameroon, Congo and CAR, of the rights of local and indigenous communities in the protected areas of the Congo Basin. These violations are reportedly manifested mainly through arbitrary arrests, targeted executions, torture and rape, low involvement and lack of respect for cultural rights. This situation has prompted the UN to take a position in favour of respecting the rights of these communities in environmental protection initiatives. UNESCO's initiatives to contribute to the achievement of this objective have been highlighted. These include the inclusive approach deployed in the creation and monitoring of Biosphere Reserves and heritage sites, the granting of an active and equitable role to communities in the area of resource management, the promotion of intra- and intergenerational transmission of knowledge and support for the integration of local and indigenous knowledge in the conservation and management of biodiversity promoted by the Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) initiative. Finally, the participants were given the opportunity to ask for their opinions on these denunciations, the national and regional mechanisms likely to address this issue.
It emerged from the various interventions that punctuated the exchanges, the need to carry out a real and in-depth analysis of the situation on the ground, to examine the interventions of partners in relation to human rights, the strengthening of the capacities of the rangers by paying particular attention to the inclusion of human rights aspects in training curricula.
CAFI - The representative of the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) made a remarkable intervention. In her address, the representative of CAFI brought to the attention of the participants some key information on the state of the initiative and presented the major actions of their interventions. For more information...
We are pleased to hereby inform you that exhibition registration for the CBFP MoP19 is open. The exhibition space offers your organization the opportunity to present your work, initiatives, projects and expertise to the participants of the MoP19. Exhibitors are able to rent a stand package at set prices with options for customization and additional equipment. To register as Exhibitor at the 19th Meeting of Parties of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), please fill out this form online before May 30, 2022.
If you wish to attend the 19th MoP of the CBFP and related events, please register before 20th May 2022 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.
This is a reminder that registrations for the 19th Meeting of Parties (MoP) of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership in Libreville, Gabon, from 5 to 8 July 2022 are CLOSING IN 2 DAYS. Please note, that you can only attend with a completed registration. Please register here...
Mongolia flood defence project shows the way for urban adaptation. The project incorporates infrastructural upgrades with the formation of community action groups to improve the capital’s flood resilience . A project in Mongolia, which incorporates a wide range of initiatives and aims to build the resilience of high-risk communities, is directly confronting the burden of urban climate impacts.
Home to the only biosphere reserve of argan in the world, Morocco is facing a unique challenge. It must preserve its argan forests as a barrier to climate-induced desertification while helping the communities, that depend on these forests for a living, adapt and preserve their cultural heritage.
The 32nd meeting of the GCF Board is taking place in person in Antigua and Barbuda from May 16-19. The meeting, one of four scheduled this year, follows on the heels of the first Board meeting where USD 187.7 million was approved for new climate projects and major changes to GCF’s accreditation framework were approved. The changes aim to accelerate climate finance for developing countries and include strengthening the existing accreditation model and introducing the project-specific assessment approach (PSAA).
The proposed EU Regulation on deforestation-free products aims to ensure goods cannot be placed on the EU market if they have caused deforestation, forest degradation, or violated producer country laws. The Commission released a draft proposal of the Regulation on 17 November 2021, and now the European Parliament (EP) and the Council must agree on their positions. On 24 March 2022, the EP rapporteur Luxembourgish Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Christophe Hansen of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), released his draft response.
As world leaders, the private sector, and experts met for the final day of the 15th World Forestry Congress on Friday and the United Nations Forum on Forests begins today, fulfilling funding promises made during UNFCCC’s CoP26 to tackle the illegal timber trade and accelerating the implementation of sustainability strategies must be at the top of the agenda says TRAFFIC.
Global shipping to focus on bringing down the illegal networks exploiting maritime supply chains to traffic wildlife. On the 13 of May 2022, the 46th Meeting of the Facilitation Committee (FAL46) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted new ‘Guidelines for the Prevention and Suppression of the Smuggling of Wildlife on Ships Engaged in International Maritime Traffic’.
Fifty years after the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, which put “health and sanitation” on the international agenda, ensuring water and sanitation for all “remains one of the world’s biggest challenges.” A ‘Still Only One Earth’ policy brief from IISD argues that for universal access to become a reality,
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has issued the second edition of its flagship report titled, ‘Global Land Outlook: Land Restoration for Recovery and Resilience’ (GLO2). The publication outlines various future land scenarios, and highlights the potential contributions of land restoration investments to climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, and human health, among other SDGs.
Delegates at the 15th meeting of the World Forestry Congress (XV WFC) called for immediate action to protect forests, forestry, and forest stakeholders as providers of nature-based solutions to climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, hunger, and poverty. They encouraged “actions for a green, healthy and resilient future with forests” as a contribution to the SDGs, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, and a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has launched its biennial flagship report on the state of the world’s forests (SOFO), which explores three intertwined forest pathways to achieve green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic while tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, among other “multidimensional planetary crises.”
A high-level panel marked Desertification and Drought Day 2020 with a discussion focused on the Day’s theme, ‘Food. Feed. Fibre,” and the question, “Is it time for a new social contract for nature?” Ministers and agency heads offered recommendations for addressing vulnerabilities for land management that have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and options for building back better.
Convening under the theme “Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests,” the Fifteenth meeting of the World Forestry Congress (XV WFC) sought to define the role of forests in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other major agreements, including the Global Forest Goals, the Paris Agreement on climate change, and the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
At the end of the XV World Forestry Congress held in Seoul from May 2 to 6, 8 ministers signed a text calling for the production and consumption of sustainable wood. Sustainable production and consumption of wood promotes forest conservation, enhances the value of forests and mitigates climate change. Building and living with wood responds to an increased demand for renewable materials and provides impetus for green recovery.
The Forest Conservation Job Day took place online, on Friday May 6th 2022. This Forest Conservation Job day, which was in its first edition, was co-organised by ERAIFT and the association of its alumni gathered within the « Réseau Africain pour le Développement Durable et Intégré (RADDI) ». The Participants to this event were former ERAIFT students and students from the 3rd and 4th Master's classes actually in training.
The Board of Directors of the ATIBT validated the membership application of this trading and sawing Gilmour & Aitken Ltd are suppliers and stock holders of a comprehensive range of high quality sawn and engineered hardwood and softwood timber products. Established in 1852 and now in its 5th generation, the business prides itself on its product expertise, stock range and customer service.
To get back on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement, a profound step up in political commitments and financing is needed, especially for climate action in developing countries being hit hard by the impacts of climate change.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) will strive to narrow the forest finance gap by helping to strengthen public-private roots of climate cooperation during the World Forestry Congress which opens today in South Korea.
Heads of States and governments at the fifteenth session of the Conference of Parties(COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) have made a clarion call to the international community to take urgent measures to avert loss of live and source of livelihood threatening the world today as result of the devastating effects of desertification, land degradation and drought.
A consortium of investigative journalists in Liberia are shining a spotlight on the country’s forest sector – with some remarkable results. Starting at 4pm every Thursday, one of Liberia’s best-known radio stations, OK FM 99.5, broadcasts a live one-hour show that’s possibly the only one of its kind in the world.
In early April 2022, I had the chance to travel to Brazil to consult with Fern’s partners and attend the yearly Free Land Camp organised by Brazil’s Articulation of Indigenous Peoples (APIB) in Brasilia. This trip gave me a snapshot of where the people with whom we work stand in this crucial year for the country.
On 5 April, the Forest Defenders Alliance published an impactful visual investigation, revealing that “many wood-burning power plants and wood pellet manufacturing plants in the EU appear to be using trees logged directly from forests, despite claims to use sawdust and other mill waste for fuel and feedstock”. Surprisingly, industry confirmed the report’s findings, proving the importance of ensuring that the EU’s renewed Renewable Energy Directive (RED) takes a strong line on which types of material should, and should not be burnt.
Despite the urgency of the climate crisis and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land use and forestry, some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Member States and private actors continue to try to downgrade climate ambition. In upcoming votes about the proposed Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulation, there are hopes that the European Parliament will set a more positive course.
The "State of the Forests" report is a flagship product of the CBFP partners' efforts, especially of the EU, which is the main donor of OFAC. The production of this report remains a major challenge for each CBFP Facilitation. We are there!!! The State of the Forest 2021 (SOF 2021) report is the seventh in the series published since 2005. The previous report was released in 2015 at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Paris.
Seoul (Republic of Korea) World Forest Congress, 5 Mai 2022 – at COMIFAC-ECCAS Pavilion Initiatives, a special session was organized on “Accelerating and Scaling up forest landscape restoration under the Bonn Challenge and AFR100 in the central Africa”. The Session was moderated by the German CBFP Facilitation and had as panelists IUCN and the African Union (NEPAD/AFR100).
Seoul (Republic of Korea) World Forest Congress, 5 Mai 2022 – IUCN Africa Protected Area Congress was presented by Mr. KARANGWA Charles Regional Head of Land Systems and Country Representative, IUCN Rwanda, in a special hybrid session in the COMIFAC-ECCAS Pavilion.
Welfare support for forest and farm producers has become even more important in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it wrecked economies and livelihoods across the globe. But the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) has stepped up to the plate. Over the course of 2021, more than 56,000 forest and farm producers in Africa, Asia and Latin America received food aid, hygiene products or government social protection schemes thanks to the work of FFF-supported forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs).
Women fish processors and sellers learn new techniques from their colleagues in order to make their jobs safer and their products more competitive 4 April, Abidjan/Dakar/Praia/Rome - The FAO Coastal Fisheries Initiative in West Africa (CFI-WA) has organized three exchange visits aimed at strengthening the role of women in fisheries value chains in Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal.
Located in Zambia’s North-Western Province, the greater Kafue National Park and West Lunga ecosystem complex was once home to an abundance of ancient rosewood trees and a host of other endemic and endangered species. Now, aerial views reveal slabs of fallen trees peppering black holes in the green forest canopy. Fenced clearings open up to piles of orange rosewood, stacked high in the grounds of a sawmill
Join this discussion on Calls for a “Fair Deal” that addresses the protection, sustainable use, and good governance of the central African Forest ecosystems of the Congo basin by the riparian countries of COMIFAC in exchange for an adequate share of international climate and biodiversity funds. Wednesday 4th May 2022, SEOUL, 5:30 PM KST - 7:00 PM KST Where: Room. E5. Third floor.
We are pleased to hereby inform you that exhibition registration for the CBFP MoP19 will be open soon. The exhibition space offers your organization the opportunity to present your work, initiatives, projects and expertise to the participants of the MoP19. Exhibitors will be able to rent a stand package at set prices with options for customization and additional equipment.
Our investigation found that at the height of the clashes between fishers and pastoralists on 9 December, Shuwa Arab elders consulted each other and contacted Park guards by phone before deciding to enter the Park. The following day, Shuwa Arab men, women and children walked 20 km to the centre of the Park, continuing 2 days later to a nearby waterhole. There they were initially summoned by the Park warden to leave the Park but allowed to stay to recover from their journey. After 1 week, pastoralists continued through the inundated part of the Park to the north-east where they stayed until 20 January, when all but two of the 17 groups left the Park. The Park offered safety for the pastoralists, but the conditions were harsh for families and livestock, resulting in considerable loss of sheep and donkeys; three cattle were predated by lions.
The Facilitation of the Federal Republic of Germany is pleased to launch a call for proposals for side events during the 19th Meeting of Parties (MoP 19) in Libreville, Gabon, from 5-8 July 2022, tbc. There is no set format required, but guidelines are provided below. Submissions should be sent before. 20 May 2022, to the following address: side.event@pfbc-cbfp.org
