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The 9th Meeting of the CBFP Governing Council was held on Friday 16 July 2021 in Douala Cameroon by video conference at the Hotel La Falaise.
Please download the minutes of the 9th Meeting of the CBFP Governing Council
This meeting was part of the CBFP's cooperation framework, which provides for the CBFP Council to meet twice a year, and followed Experts Meeting to follow up on the N'Djamena Conference on the development of country investment plans focusing on zoonoses, transhumance, the fight against cross-border poaching, security and sustainable development between the Sahel and the Congo Basin, which was held from 12 to 15 July 2021 at the same venue. The representatives of the seven colleges who attended the CBFP meeting actively participated, namely:
- CBFP regional College: ECCAS, COMIFAC;
- CBFP civil society college: CEFDHAC-CPR and ROSCEVAC accompanied by representatives of the REFACOF and REFADD networks and RECEIAC;
- CBFP International NGO College: AWF, WCS;
- CBFP Private Sector College: ATIBT and Earthworm Foundations, Volcanoes Safaris;
- CBFP Donor College: USA, UK, Germany;
- CBFP Scientific and Academic College: CIFOR, IRET;
- CBFP Multilateral College: FAO, UNESCO and GVTC, ITTO.
The objectives of the CBFP Governing Council meeting, now in its ninth year, were, on the one hand, to consolidate the strengthening of CBFP governance and to provide an ideal framework to promote broad-base dialogue and effective cooperation between all the stakeholders within the partnership, whose membership has increased considerably since its creation.
On the other hand, to enable the CBFP Council members to have an overview of the coordination and harmonisation of actions in favour of the forest ecosystems of the Congo Basin.
And finally, to consider a better articulation between sustainable forest management strategies and economic development objectives in the region.
The CBFP Governing Council meeting was co-chaired by the Honourable Dr. Christian Ruck and by the current President of COMIFAC, His Excellency Jules Doret Ndongo, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon. It was organised with the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the technical support of the German Technical Cooperation GIZ.
The programme of the ninth CBFP Council Meeting was structured around a first segment dedicated to the opening ceremony.
The CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Honorable Dr Christian RUCK, welcomed the participants and recalled the recommendations of the last CBFP Governing Council.
Dr. Honoré TABUNA, Commissioner for the Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development of the ECCAS Commission, speaking in a video conference on behalf of His Excellency Ambassador Gilberto Da Piedade Veríssimo, President of the ECCAS Commission, recalled all the support that ECCAS provides to its specialised body, COMIFAC, in the area of forest management and natural resource conservation. He stressed that the first results of the restructured ECCAS Commission will be presented to the ECCAS Heads of State on 23 July 2021. He also announced that a workshop would be held in Brazzaville to adopt a common definition of the various key terms such as "forest" and "deforestation" in particular, as part of a strategic reflection on the forest economy and the role of forests in the sustainable development of territories/communities. Dr. Honoré TABUNA ended his speech by wishing every success in the work of the 9th CBFP Council.
In his opening speech, His Excellency Mr. Jules Doret NDONG congratulated the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Christian RUCK, for the efforts made to ensure the success of the Council meeting and Experts meeting on the follow-up of the N’djamena Declaration, despite the threats and risks related to COVID-19.
"The CBFP has already been providing increased support to the Congo Basin for 20 years by facilitating synergies between the countries of the sub-region. The efforts of the Congo Basin will be heard only in this way," stressed the Minister.
He recalled the challenges for the preservation of the Congo Basin ecosystems, including the fight against new forms of wildlife crime. Efforts have been made, but much remains to be done. He recalled COMIFAC's expectations with regard to the 9th Council meeting and the United Nations framework declaration. Finally, he encouraged the participants to combine their efforts to achieve the objectives of the 9th meeting of the Council.
The 9th meeting of the CBFP Governing Council started with a review and adoption of the items on the agenda of the CBFP Governing Council.
As planned in the agenda, the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Honourable Dr. Christian RUCK, gave a progress report on the implementation of the CBFP facilitation roadmap.
Dr. Christian RUCK's presentation was highly praised by the participants. As a comment, the current President of COMIFAC appreciated the report and the effort made to have a common declaration of the Congo Basin aiming to speak with one voice during international meetings.
The Minister congratulated:
- the increase in the German facilitation fund via CAFI
- the increase in funding for the Congo Basin
- Technical and thematic studies on resource development
He requested similar studies this time on REDD+ for the development of ecotourism.
The CBFP Facilitator took note of the Minister's complaint and affirmed that efforts are being made to increase or expand funding for the Basin. He is optimistic that a deal for the Congo Basin will be reached soon.
Concerning the organisation of the Forestry Symposium in Germany, the Minister asked the COMIFAC SG to initiate correspondence to sensitise the countries, ensure their presence and plan their interventions during the Symposium.
According to the agenda, the meeting continued with the reading of the report of the Douala country Experts' meeting on the follow-up of the N'Djamena Declaration: Overview and future prospects.
This presentation led to discussions, particularly on the legitimacy of the CBFP to organise joint activities in the Congo Basin and neighbouring countries to fight transhumance. The Minister asked to add as a recommendation to the report: to rely on the Organisation for the Conservation of Wildlife in Africa (OCFSA) which has an African coverage to implement these activities.
It was agreed that the German CBFP Facilitation will no longer be the main organiser of the country Experts' meetings and the process towards N’Djamena 2, but that this responsibility will be given to ECCAS in close collaboration with IGAD and ECOWAS for the political, COMIFAC/OCFSA for the operational and organisational aspects. The German CBFP Facilitation and the Leaders and Co-leaders of the partners in the geographical blocks would provide support.
An update was made on the organisation of the 19th CBFP Meeting of the Parties (MOP): host Country, date, structure/articulation/architecture and desired outcomes/highlights of the plenary, funding and the next CBFP Facilitator after Germany (end of 2022) to be announced at the 19th MOP.
Another point was made on the common position: Overview and way forward on the Declaration of the ECCAS/COMIFAC countries for the Congo Basin forests and their periphery in preparation for major international events: Berlin Tropical Forest Symposium, Congresses and COPs
The last item of the meeting was the presentation of the CBFP Colleges reports and declaration to report on the activities (news), and its perspectives or planned activities.
Reports:
- Report of the Regional College: news from regional organisations: ECCAS, COMIFAC, OCFSA; Congo Basin Climate Commission
- Report of the CBFP Colleges
- Housekeeping and strategic planning (CBFP Facilitation)
Statements:
- Statement by representatives of financial partners (US, Germany)
- Statement by representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CEFDHAC, ROSCEVAC)
- Statement by representatives of international NGOs (AWF, WCS)
- Statement by representatives of the private sector (ATIBT, Earthworm Foundation)
- Statement by representatives of scientists and training (CIFOR, IRET)
- Statement by representatives of multilateral organisations (GVTC, UNESCO)
The 9th CBFP Governing Council ended with a question-and-answer session and miscellaneous. His Excellency Mr. Jules Doret Ndongo, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon, and current President of COMIFAC, closed up the works of the 9th CBFP Governing Council at 2:00 pm.
Please consult photos of 9th CBFP Governing Council
Please download the report of the meeting below:
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.
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...
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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).
As part of our ongoing commitment to promoting transparent and accountable governance of climate and environmental funds, we are pleased to invite you to two upcoming online sessions. These sessions will offer valuable insights, strategies, and best practices for combating corruption, and reinforce our collective efforts to create a more sustainable future. We hope you will join us for these important discussions.
International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrated each year on 22 May, is an opportunity to not only acknowledge the crucial role healthy biodiversity plays in the survival of the planet but also to assess the nature crisis. With the theme ‘From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity,’ this year’s Day follows the historic adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework by 196 nations at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties in Montreal, Canada, in December 2022.
Bukavu, May 10, 2023 – The Kahuzi-Biega National Park (PNKB) is deeply saddened to announce the death of its ecoguard Alain Lukinga, born in Kakongya on June 12, 1989, who sacrificed his life for the protection of the PNKB in an armed clash in Cibumbiro between the villages of Kajeje and Lukananda in the Mudaka groupement, in Kabare territory in South Kivu.
From April 19 to 20, 2023 a workshop for the development of a national investment plan for Nigeria on transhumance and related topics was held in Abuja, NIGERIA. This workshop, funded by the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) Facilitation of the Federal Republic of Germany, aimed to...
The SWM Programme is the first international initiative to tackle the wild meat challenge by addressing both wildlife conservation and food security. It is an initiative from the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), funded by the European Union with co-funding from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) and the French Development Agency (AFD).
In a bid to boost indigenous people and local communities’ (IPLC) engagement in wildlife protection around Lobéké National Park in Southeast Cameroon, Lobéké Management has signed social pacts with 34 Bantu and Baka communities in the Park. Thirty-four social pacts were signed between the communities and the Lobeke Management in December 2022, with each pact corresponding to a community project worth FCFA 300,000.
This report highlights the impacts of direct as well as indirect deforestation through mining. It presents for the first time ever the deforestation embodied in the consumption of products and showcases the extensive deforestation potential that artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) can have on forest ecosystems.
A new toll road in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province is under construction to improve access to the interior of Borneo, including to the nation’s new capital city, Nusantara. Construction of the road, however, poses immediate environmental risks, as the route cuts through a forested area with high conservation value that connects the Sungai Wain protected forest, coastal mangroves, and Balikpapan Bay. Prior to road construction, the integrated forest and coastal ecosystem supported populations of orangutans, sun bears, proboscis monkeys and Irrawaddy dolphins. Conservationists say the construction of this toll road belies the Indonesian government’s claims that the development of the new capital will be green and sustainable.
The tobacco industry causes a fifth of Zimbabwe’s forest loss. What is being done to minimise this? At the beginning of this century, the Zimbabwean government embarked on an audacious land reform programme, ostensibly to correct the injustices suffered by local people when the land was colonised. The controversial programme saw an estimated 170,000 black Zimbabwean families – mostly small-scale farmers – taking over agricultural production from about 3,000 white-owned farms.
SAN MARTÍN, Peru (AP) — The Cordillera Azul National Park on the eastern flank of the Peruvian Andes takes in a sweep of Amazon rainforest, mountains and waterfalls in a territory about the size of Connecticut, so precious that tens of millions of dollars in carbon credits have been sold in a program that supporters said would protect its trees.
To fight climate change and biodiversity loss, the new law obliges companies to ensure products sold in the EU have not led to deforestation and forest degradation. While no country or commodity will be banned, companies will only be allowed to sell products in the EU if the supplier of the product has issued a so-called “due diligence” statement confirming that the product does not come from deforested land or has led to forest degradation, including of irreplaceable primary forests, after 31 December 2020.
A number of reports have found that an Indonesian government program to establish large-scale agricultural plantations across the country has led to deforestation. More than 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of forests, including carbon-rich peatlands, have been cleared in Central Kalimantan province for the so-called food estate program, according to a spatial analysis by the NGO Pantau Gambut. Last year, the NGO Kaoem Telapak detected 100 hectares (250 acres) of deforestation in food estate areas in North Sumatra. Villagers whose lands have been included in the program have also reported an increase in the severity of floods since their forests were cleared to make way for the food estates.
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With GEF and LDCF support, Nespresso, IUCN, and TechnoServe are working together to promote more sustainable and resilient coffee farming practices in South Kivu. Antoinette Shabanyere’s 1,800-tree coffee farm in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is at the forefront of efforts by local communities to adapt to climate change.
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The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative, Suze Percy-Filippini is impressed with the progress made by the department of Forestry in the implementation of the Forest Farm Facility –FFF Program in the Choma District of Southern Province.
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The African Regional Exchange, a three-day workshop co-organized with CIFOR-ICRAF, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute and the Kenya Forest Service, brought together farmers, bankers, governments, and development partners from across Africa to discuss ways to ensure smallholder farmers have access to the finance they need to improve and scale up sustainable forest and farm management practices.
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A common vision of sustainable finance is being developed in Central Africa. The project is at the heart of an international forum scheduled for 8 and 9 May 2023 in Douala, Cameroon, under the theme « Trajectories towards sustainable finance ». An initiative of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN).
Delegates to the Sixth Meeting of the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development emphasized the need for forward-looking, high-impact initiatives involving all relevant actors, to enable the structural transformations Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) needs to “resume and sustain the path to 2030.”
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Sitting at the forefront of the climate crisis, forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs) have a vital role in supporting smallholder resilience and attaining climate change and biodiversity goals. Together, their members have a transformative potential to achieve sustainable development and respond to climate change at scale.
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The Board of Directors of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) has announced the appointment of Eliane Ubalijoro as Director General of CIFOR-ICRAF and Director General of ICRAF. Ms. Ubalijoro is the first African woman to hold the position of Director General of a CGIAR research centre and Director General of two centres in the 60-year history of the CGIAR.
Mambomé Trésor, an indigenous Baka man of Mambele village near the Lobeke National Park is able to use the Sapelli smartphone to collect data on natural resources important to Baka; report illegal practices and document cases of human-wildlife conflicts.
Annual peatland fires in Indonesia affect ecology, air quality, nutrient distribution of the soil, and human health. A modeling study finds that under current climate change projections and with rapid deforestation in Borneo, fire risk increases by the end of the century. The findings show that deforestation is a significant factor in fire risk. While local governments can’t control global climate change, they work to stem forest loss and invest in reforestation of tropical forests and revitalization of peatlands to mitigate fire risks in the future, researchers say.
As of 30 April 2023, 44 per cent of the assessed contributions for the year 2023 had been paid to the CMS Trust Fund, which amounts to €1,426,924. The total unpaid contributions as of 30 April 2023 amount to € 3,506,882 (€ 1,779,787 for 2023 and € 1,727,095 for prior years).
Climate change is already posing a threat to the development of the poorest countries and its impacts will make it far more difficult for them to achieve progress in future. So climate action and development policy are bound up closely with each other. Without external support, developing countries and emerging economies are often not able to afford the measures needed to achieve their national mitigation targets and to adapt to the consequences of climate change.
The GEF’s adaptation support for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is delivered through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). The LDCF is the only multilateral fund that focuses exclusively on the unique climate adaptation challenges of LDCs and is embraced by LDCs as their own. The fund has a strong track record of supporting LDCs to address adaptation priorities over more than two decades. It delivers targeted support to the world’s most vulnerable countries, and their people and ecosystems.