Calling for a « Fair Deal » for the Congo Basin and its vicinity, Berlin, Germany…

Please download :

In French: Déclaration d'engagement des Etats membres de la COMIFAC pourles forêts d'Afrique centrale et appel pour un financement équitable

 

In English: Declaration of commitment by COMIFAC member states to the forests of Central Africa and call for equitable financing and Fair Share

 

Forest Day Aide-Mémoire:

In French

In English

In German

 

Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2021 - Congo Basin Forests Day: Presenting the Statement, Common Position on a "Fair Deal" for the conservation of tropical forests and signing of a Memorandum.

 

Presenting the Statement on a “Fair Deal " for the conservation of tropical forests and signing of a Memorandum.

Under the high patronage of His Excellency the German Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development, Dr Gerd Müller, a “Congo Basin Forest Day” was held in Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany on 07 September 2021, on the sidelines of the Tropical Forests Symposium.

 

The ceremony took place today with eight ministers from Central African countries from the following countries attending: Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad. Rwanda was represented at the meeting by the Director General of Forests.

 

During the ceremony, the "Statement of Commitment of the Member States of COMIFAC to the Central African forests and call for equitable financing" was presented and a Memorandum on the Congo Basin Forests Day signed by Germany and COMIFAC.

Minister Müller’s signature stands as a promise on Germany's part to campaign on the international political scene for the Congo Basin’s tropical forests to receive a fair share of climate and biodiversity funds. In return, the Congo Basin signatories agree to take more responsibility for forest protection. The “Fair Deal” encapsulated in the Statement was presented by the Current Chairman of COMIFAC and the Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany to a large audience connected digitally from Germany, the Congo Basin and beyond.

 

A “Fair Deal” for the Congo Basin

Through this Statement, the Central African signatories recognize the services provided by the Congo forests (CO2 storage capacity, genetic heritage, habitat and economic space) as a global public good and declare their shared commitment to preserving its natural resources, notably by:

  • Strengthening the role of Congo forests in global climate debates;
  • Increasing privatization of protected area management;
  • Creating more opportunities for civil society and indigenous peoples to participate in decision-making processes;
  • Establishing a platform of supra-regional exchange to bring transhumance under control (increase in numbers of cattle herds that are devastating the forests);
  • And implementing more reforestation measures where forests have already been wiped out.

 

In return, the African signatories expect more technical, political and financial support from the global community and call for better coordination of international funding mechanisms and policy initiatives, as well as '' adequate and equitable access to climate and biodiversity finance as well as global tropical timber markets and greater promotion of high value-added timber products.

 

A major focus of this COMIFAC Statement document flows along the lines of Minister Müller's call for a "fair deal": An international commitment to the Congo Basin, commensurate with the services it provides to the global society. There is a need to assess how effective existing protection instruments are (e.g.  REDD +).

 

The importance of the Congo Basin

The African Congo Basin is second only to the Amazon as the largest contiguous tropical forest region on the planet. With a unique array of biodiversity, its forests are home to countless animal and plant species. They also provide livelihoods for millions of people in the region and, serve as carbon reservoirs, significantly helping to stabilize the world’s climate. Their importance to the world’s climate cannot be overstated! Compared to the rainforests of South America and Southeast Asia, they remain very much intact – though they have seen a greater increase in deforestation rates in recent years than any other part of the world. The main reason for this upsurge is, among other things, the conversion of forest areas to arable land as well as rising demand for land and firewood from growing populations.

 

The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) was founded in 2002 to address alarming forest loss and development challenges in the region. Its 121 members include not only the surrounding forest-rich states, but also donors such as Germany, France, USA, Belgium, UK and EU, international (non-governmental) organizations, research institutes and actors from the private sector and civil society. In January 2020, the BMZ took over the rotating presidency of the CBFP and appointed Dr Christian Ruck to its helm.

 

The Statement expresses the willingness of stakeholders to take more joint responsibility for conserving the species-rich tropical forests of the Congo Basin. It was prepared jointly by the members of the CBFP under the German Chair. The large regional and international circle of supporters bolsters the Statement in demanding a "fair deal" at the forthcoming United Nations climate and biodiversity conferences: Improving forest governance in the region in exchange for global recognition of vital ecosystem services provided by Congo's forests – at the political and financial levels.

 

After the BMZ event, the Ministers among the guests were received by parliamentarians during a Congo Basin Day at the German Bundestag and met German non-governmental organizations such as WWF or Nabu, the Ministries of the Environment and Development, representatives of GIZ and KfW, the African Association of German Companies, ATIBT, the sustainable forestry company Interholco or the CAFI donor alliance to exchange views on project approaches and assistance needed in protecting tropical forests.

 

Federal Minister Gerd Müller explains:

“The forests of the Congo Basin are invaluable – not only for people, but also in stabilizing the global climate. Together, we must do everything we can to ensure that the people in the region are able to meet their basic needs and enjoy economic development opportunities, without further destroying the forests. I am very grateful to Dr Christian Ruck for his tremendous commitment to the region. And I commend Mr Doret Ndongo and the Ministers of the Central African region for making the trip to Germany to discuss with German experts, NGOs and politicians, ways of getting German support in protecting tropical forests. "

 

Dr Christian Ruck - Facilitator of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership adds.

"I am delighted with the healthy cooperation and strong joint commitment of the CBFP stakeholders and the fact that we were able to come to an agreement on this joint Declaration. The viewpoints of civil society, national political representatives, the private sector, experts and the global community are quite varied and contradictory because of the different interests involved. Which makes me even prouder that we are able to adopt this joint statement today. This sends out a strong message for the UN negotiations on climate and biodiversity – to ensure that the Congo Basin gets more attention!”

 

Jules Doret Ndongo - Cameroon Minister of Forestry and Wildlife and Chairman of the Central African Forest Commission COMIFAC, concludes.

"Allow me to thank the Federal Republic of Germany of the CBFP, its Federal Minister for Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Dr Christian Ruck, the CBFP Facilitator for recognizing the importance of Congo forests for all of humanity as a carbon sink which is set to become the world’s largest and whose care cannot be left entirely to the States that host and guard it, on top of the challenge of meeting their citizens’ basic needs. Hence the need to underscore that the Congo Basin needs to receive substantial financial support for the services it renders to the whole world in promoting conservation, sustainable management, the fight against climate change and community development.

 

The Declaration that has been signed and presented, akin to a charter of commitments made by COMIFAC member countries,  firstly reiterates the host countries’ awareness of the challenges associated with managing this good, and demonstrates to the International community the Congo Basin States’ willingness to go to extra lengths to protect this good and especially brings to bear on the international community, that the Congo Basin’s countries’ good will alone can no longer suffice to meet the challenges of managing this good. Joining forces and resources remains the best policy to follow in supporting and regenerating this large ecosystem. That’s where the concept of a "Fair deal" came into play. We are introducing the concept to win the international community over to our approach of strengthening the Congo Basin’s role as the lung of the world ... "

 

Please download the Kinshasa Declaration "Long version of the Declaration" below:

In French: Déclaration d'engagement des Etats membres de la COMIFAC pour les forêts d'Afrique centrale et appel pour un financement équitable

In English: Declaration of commitment by COMIFAC member states to the of Central Africa and call for fair financing

 

Please see the photos of the day...

Go back

Partners News

CBFP/PFBC: Invitation to the West Block exchange meeting - 4 October, 8h00 N'Djamena, Hotel Amitié

The CBFP and the coordination of the Western Bloc are pleased to invite you to a face-to-face exchange session, to be held on Friday 4 October from 8:00 to 10:00 at the Hôtel de l'Amitié, in N'Djamena, on the occasion of the conference on pastoralism and protected areas. The event will provide an opportunity to reflect on how the CBFP can continue to lead discussions on the most topical issues in the sub-region.

Read more …

Agriculture, Pastoralism and Protected Areas: tensions et solutions for the future of rural communities in Central Africa and in the Sahel, 2-4 Oct 2024 N'Djamena (Chad)

The Conference aims at: Presenting the state of knowledge on the causes and consequences of tensions between agropastoral activities and protected areas within the Sahelian and Sudano-Guinean ecosystems; Reviewing the modes of governance and technical innovations making it possible to better manage the interface zones between agropastoral areas and protected areas, in order to promote the sustainable development of agropastoral territories...

Read more …

The Summit of the Future (SOF) - Highlights for 22 September 2024

After a series of broken silence procedures in the lead-up to the Summit, the Summit of the Future (SOF) opened under a cloud of uncertainty when the Russian Federation made a last-minute proposal for an amendment to the outcome document. However, following a quick voting round, delegates adopted the Summit’s negotiated outcome, the Pact for the Future, and its two annexes: the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration of Future Generations. The rest of the day then proceeded largely as planned, with general statements by high-level representatives taking place in parallel with two interactive dialogues on the Summit’s themes.

Read more …

Highlights and images for 22 September 2024: Summit of the Future

The Summit of the Future opened with some drama when the Russian Federation tabled its objection to several paragraphs in the outcome documents: the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and Declaration on Future Generations. In the end, after months of negotiations, the Pact was adopted. UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Philémon Yang thanked the Co-Facilitators for steering a complex negotiating process and described the just-adopted Pact as a reflection of “our pledge” to lay the foundation for a sustainable, inclusive, and peaceful global order.

Read more …

Final communiqué of the thirty-eighth meeting (GTBAC-38) of the Central African Biodiversity Working Group

 The Central African Biodiversity Working Group adopts common views for COP-16 at the CBD and related meetings at the end of their 38 meeting held from September 9 to 13, 2024 in Brazzaville. The Central African Biodiversity Working Group held its thirty-eighth meeting (GTBAC-38) from September 9 to 13, 2024 in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo.  These meetings organised by the Executive Secretariat of the Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC) with technical and financial support from the GIZ Regional Support Project to COMIFAC, brought together members of the GTBAC.  

Read more …

Updated Programme for the Summit of the Future Available -Un

President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Philemon Yang has made available an updated programme of the Summit of the Future (SoF), along with a logistics note, an announcement of the co-chairs for the interactive dialogues to take place during the Summit, and lists of speakers for the interactive dialogues. The SoF is taking place in New York, US, from 22-23 September 2024.

Read more …

Philémon Yang of the Republic of Cameroon becomes President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly

New York, 10 September 2024 – Philémon Yang, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon, took office today as President of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly at a time when the urgent need to strengthen multilateralism respond to new and emerging challenges is increasingly acute. The theme of President Yang’s mandate is “Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere”.  His priorities range from boosting gender equality, advancing multilingualism to combatting terrorism. Under his leadership, efforts will focus on fostering more effective collaboration and finding effective solutions to global challenges.

Read more …

UNGA 78 President Hands Over Gavel to Successor as UNGA 79 Opens - Un

On 10 September 2024, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) closed its 78th session. Addressing the Assembly for the last time as its President, Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago) underscored the important role of the multilateral system in overcoming complex challenges. Philemon Yang (Cameroon), President-elect of the 79th session of the UNGA, subsequently took an oath of office, pledging to perform his duties “in all loyalty, discretion and conscience.” This was followed by the opening of the Assembly’s 79th session.

Read more …

Abidjan Declaration on raising Africa’s ambition to Reduce Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought - UNEP

07 September, Abidjan - African Environment Ministers meeting in Abidjan have called for the establishment of a legally binding protocol on drought management under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), with a special focus on Africa. The call for action comes amid growing concerns over the detrimental impact of land degradation, drought and desertification on the continent’s socio-economic stability, food security, and environmental sustainability.

Read more …

Armed conflict and governance of natural World Heritage sites in Africa. A review

A search was carried out using Google Scholar and Scopus (for the period 2000-2023) and official reports (from the inscription of the site until 2024) submitted by countries on the state of conservation of natural UNESCO World Heritage sites in Africa. The scientific literature does not sufficiently address the determinants of armed conflicts affecting African Natural World Heritage sites or the connections between the quality of governance of Protected Areas and the emergence and/ or resolution of armed conflicts. Understanding the origins and foundations of these armed conflicts requires an in-depth analysis of several determinants linked to the existence of these protected areas and an assessment of the effectiveness of the governance systems, which is rarely available.

Read more …

African Ministerial Conference on the Environment : Tenth special session – A call for more partnerships to mobilise resources to combat drought, land degradation and desertification in Africa

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.

Read more …

UN Launches First-Ever Live Map of Large Mammal Migrations - CMS

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".

Read more …

Invitation to participate: Community of Practice on “Climate Change in the African Forestry and Wildlife Sectors” I 9th - 27th September 2024, via Howspace

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.

Read more …

ECCAS Regional Consultation on the Post-Malabo CAADP Agenda: The Central Africa Region Synthesis Report is now available!

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...

Read more …

Tenth Special Session of AMCEN and UNCCD COP16 Regional Consultations

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.

Read more …

FAO Forestry Roadmap seeks innovative solutions to global challenges

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.

Read more …

Reforestation in the Forest Management Units of Cameroon (UFA - Reforest): Scientific Component of the Project

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).

Read more …

New publication - Measuring Local People Perception toward Wildlife and Conservation at the Periphery of the Dja Biosphere Reserve, East Region, 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.

Read more …

MOP20 - Summary of the side event WWF- Parcs Gabon - Is conflict with forest elephants increasing in the Congo Basin and how can we enhance human / forest elephant coexistence?

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.

Read more …

International Youth Day 2024 "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development"

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.

Read more …

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2024

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.

Read more …

CBFP- ECOSOC – DESA SD : The 2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), convened under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

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.

Read more …

MOP20 Summary side event Towards legal, sustainable, and healthy wild meat value chains in Central Africa: progress insights from the SWM Programme

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.

Read more …

MOP20 Summary side event SWM Programme - Legal Hub: A tool for analyzing the Legal Framework governing value chains in particular on wild meat

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.

Read more …

MOP20 summary side event: Sharing Innovative Approaches by IITA, RIKOLTO and UCB in Agroforestry and Sustainable land use management for Communities

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...

Read more …

MOP20 summary side event WWF: A platform for useful information management and sharing for conservation and research

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.

Read more …

Results of the GEF Council meeting held in Washington yesterday, 20 June 2024: The GEF Council approves $736.4 million to address broad environmental needs...

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?

Read more …

Mapping the World’s Trees in Unprecedented Detail with AI – Land Carbon Lab

... 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...

Read more …

Joint statement by the Franco-Gabonese facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership at the end of its 20th meeting of the parties

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.

Read more …

MOP20 - Final communique of the Regional Coalition of Civil Society for Forests and the Environment of the Congo Basin

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".

Read more …

Programme of the CBFP Scientific and Academic College's booth at the IUFRO24

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.

Read more …

Capacity building needed urgently in Africa to avoid detrimental impacts of timber trade measures - ITTO

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.

Read more …