A second high-level session on the protection of the Congo Basin: Representatives of bilateral donor countries come together to help protect forests and wetlands in the green heart of Africa at the World Nature Congress

Jointly organized by COMIFAC, the CBFP, GIZ, CAFI and the IUCN, as part of the Congo Basin Special Day at the World Conservation Congress, a second high-level session on the preservation of the Congo Basin’s ecosystems took place on 05/09/2021 at 6:00 p.m. local time at the PAVILLON NATURE BASE SOLUTION, Exhibition HALL 3.

The panel line-up for this high-level session included the Honourable Dr Christian Ruck, CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, Stéphane PAILLER, Senior Foreign Affairs Advisor and Deputy Director of Environment and Climate at the Sustainable Development Department, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France, and Mr Philippe MAYAUX, Head of the Biodiversity Team, at the European Union Commission.

 

Close to forty delegates took part including representatives of intergovernmental institutions and civil society organizations, Congo Basin and West African countries, international forestry and environmental institutions operating in the Congo Basin (IUCN, WWF, FFI, CIRAD, CAFI, etc.) and representatives of IUCN member organizations.

 

The high-level session was once more entitled: “Climate and biodiversity finance for the Congo Basin’s tropical forests, peatlands and its vicinity: a cost-effective nature-based solution”.

 

Mr Stéphane PAILLER reiterated the French Government’s commitment to continue working through the French Development Agency (AFD) to support initiatives aimed at protecting the Congo Basin’s forests. In this connection, he recalled the significant ongoing support coming from France, particularly within the framework of the CAFI initiative (Central African Forest Initiative) where funds from a coalition of donors including France have been invested to support government efforts to preserve forest ecosystems in a bid to mitigate climate change, reduce poverty and contribute towards sustainable development in Central Africa. It is important to note here that in December 2020, the cumulative funds provided by the donors’ coalition, amounted to 493 million US dollars.

 

In his remarks, Mr Philippe MAYAUX mentioned the European Union's policy in this area, and the support provided to the Central African governments within the framework of the European Development Fund in combating biodiversity loss in the Congo Basin’s fragile ecosystems and curbing climate change. He reaffirmed the European Union’s willingness to support concerted donor efforts to set up the adequate financing needed to protect the Congo Basin’s forest ecosystems and wetlands.

 

During the session, Ms. Florence PALLA, Coordinator of the RIOFAC Project, presented the "State of Central African Protected Areas 2020" document recently published by COMIFAC with the technical and financial support of its partners. She highlighted its importance as a decision-making tool for COMIFAC and its member countries, and treated the participants to an overview of the document’s outline and described how it was developed and produced.

 

Following a question-and-answer session between the panel members and participants, the meeting ended with closing remarks from the Regional Director of IUCN-PACO, and a group photo taken in front of the Congo Basin Booth.

 

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