From 22 to 24 January 2024, a sub-regional workshop was held in Douala, Republic of Cameroon, to analyse the results of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Her Excellency Dr Aurelie Flore Koumba Pambo, the Gabonese Co-Facilitator of the CBFP, participated in the workshop. Download the  final communiqué of the meeting..

Organised by the Executive Secretariat of the Central African Forests Commission (COMIFAC), with the support of the German Cooperation through the GIZ-Regional Support to COMIFAC Project and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the main objective of this workshop was to analyse the COP 28 decisions in order to facilitate their implementation by the COMIFAC Member States.

 

The workshop specifically aimed to:

• take ownership of the results of the work of the various bodies during COP 28;
• Identify the activities to be carried out to implement the decisions taken at COP 28;
• identify the main issues at stake for future deadlines under the UNFCCC and draw up a strategy for the subregion's participation;
• assess the state of implementation of the various projects and programmes concerning COMIFAC;
• Update the roadmap of the COMIFAC Working Group on Climate Change (GTCCC).

 

Some fifty participants from the following countries attended the workshop face-to-face and by videoconference: Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Gabon, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea, representing the Ministries in charge of the Environment, the current COMIFAC Presidency held by the Republic of Burundi, the UNFCCC National Focal Points, NDC Coordinators and National COMIFAC Coordinators from Burundi and Equatorial Guinea.

 

Representatives of the following organisations and initiatives were also present: COMIFAC, the French-Gabon Co-Facilitation of the CBFP, GIZ, WWF, WCS, CIFOR, REFADD, REJEFAC, REPALEAC,

REPAR, AVCAC, ROSCEVAC, UICN as well as resource persons.

 

The opening ceremony was marked by three speeches, namely that of Her Excellency Ambassador Dr Aurélie Flore KOUMBA PAMBO, Co-Facilitator of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, Dr Hervé Martial MAÏDOU, Executive Secretary of COMIFAC and the opening speech by Prof Paul TCHAWA, Secretary General of the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development of Cameroon, representing the Minister who was unavoidably absent.

 

The formal opening phase phase was followed by the setting up of the bureau composed as follows:

Chairperson : Mr Davy ONOMORI MBOUMBA, representing the UNFCCC Focal Point for Gabon

Vice-Chairperson Mr Timothée KAGONBE, UNFCCC Focal Point for Cameroon;

First Rapporteur : Mr Jose Luis MBA, representing the UNFCCC Focal Point for Equatorial Guinea;

Second Rapporteur : Ms Esther NDUNGIDI KASOKI, representing the UNFCCC Focal Point for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The workshop was moderated by Mr Igor TOLA KOGADOU, Climate Change Focal Point for the Central African Republic and Leader of the GTCCC.

The workshop objectives were presented and the agenda adopted.

 

This was followed by a series of plenary presentations on the results of the participation of COMIFAC, its member states and partners at the COP 28 Climate Change Conference held from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, presented by the COMIFAC Monitoring and Evaluation Expert, the UNFCCC Focal Points, the CBFP Co-facilitator, representatives of civil society organisations and international organisations.

 

These presentations were followed by discussions that highlighted the main results obtained for the sub-region, the lessons learned and the prospects for the next climate-related deadlines.

 

The workshop continued with an analysis of the decisions taken at COP 28 Climate. After the general presentation of the decisions of COP 28 made by Mr Chouaibou NCHOUTPOUEN, the Deputy Executive Secretary and Technical Coordinator of COMIFAC, a detailed presentation of the said decisions was made by certain UNFCCC Focal Points on the following themes: (i) Losses and damages; (ii) Article 6 of the Paris Agreement; (ii) Report of the first Global Assessment on the implementation of the Paris Agreement; (iv) Mitigation; (v) Adaptation; (vi) Energy transition; (vii) Capacity building; (viii) Financing; (ix) Response measures; (x) Gender and climate change and (xi) Development and technology transfer.

 

These presentations led to fruitful discussions, followed by the setting up of three working groups responsible for examining the decisions on the aforementioned topics.

Participants then heard two presentations, from Mr Jonas KEMAJOU SYAPZE, TRIDOM Landscape Financing Manager at the WWF, and Dr Sandy J ANDELMAN, Vice-President, Conservation Strategy and Partnerships at WCS, on (i) the High Forest Cover and Low Deforestation Countries (HFLD) initiative and (ii) the High Ambition Fund for Nature, Climate and People.

 

After plenary presentations followed by fruitful debates, the participants adopted the following resolutions and recommendations:

• Resolutions

The participants:

• noted the results of the participation of Central Africa at COP 28;
• noted the level of progress of the High Forest Cover and Low Deforestation Countries (HFLD) initiative in the Congo Basin;
• noted the level of progress of the High Ambition Fund for Nature, Climate and People initiative;
• validated the matrix of activities to implement the decisions of COP 28 UNFCCC;
• adopted the 2024 roadmap of the COMIFAC Climate Change Working Group.
• Recommendations

 

1. To the Executive Secretariat of COMIFAC,

• Continue to build the capacity of Central African negotiators on relevant issues at forthcoming climate meetings;
• Organise a restricted meeting for in-depth reflection on the functioning, missions and revitalisation of the GTCCC;
• Lead discussions on the establishment of a climate finance governance body within the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat;
• Facilitate the participation of civil society organisations and other stakeholders in the forthcoming Conferences of the Parties to the Climate Convention;
• Develop and/or finalise sub-regional projects in collaboration with the Climate Focal Points in order to better prepare for the implementation of the funds announced at COP 28;
• Strengthen collaboration with the Association of Central African Cities and Communities (AVCAC) as part of the collection of information on climate issues in Central Africa.

 

1. To States

• Reflect on the frequency of holding Climate COPs with regard to the time allowed for implementing the decisions taken at each annual session of the COP;
• Involve parliamentarians in the delegations of countries taking part in international climate negotiations.

 

1. To Civil Society Organisations (CSOs),

• Work in collaboration with the Executive Secretariat and the UNFCCC Focal Points to facilitate their accreditation and participation in the COPs.

 

At the end of the proceedings, the participants expressed their sincere gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Cameroon for the facilities provided to ensure the success of the workshop. They also thanked the German Cooperation through the GIZ project "Regional support to COMIFAC" and WCS for their support in organising this workshop.

 

Download the final press release of the workshop below:Download the  final communiqué of the meeting:

Communiqué final Atelier Groupe de Travail Climat COMIFAC janvier 2024 VF 24012024.pdf (206.1 Ko)