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CBFP

The CBFP at a glance

The Congo Basin Forest Partnership

Focusing more attention, funding and technical support on saving the world’s second largest tropical rainforest for the well-being of its people....

 

The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) was launched by former United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, and the Central African Heads of State at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg as a response to Resolution 54/214 of the United Nations General Assembly which urged the international community to support efforts towards conservation and sustainable management of Congo Basin forests, outlined in the Yaoundé́ Declaration adopted by the Heads of State in Yaoundé in 1999.

 

The Congo Basin Forest Partnership is a member of the partnerships of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. As a "Type II" multi-stakeholder partnership, the CBFP allows member organizations to cooperate on a voluntary basis. The CBFP currently counts 132 members including 11 Central African countries and nearly a hundred partners concerned with Congo Basin forest ecosystems including: ECCAS, COMIFAC, financial partners, Congo Basin civil society, international NGOs, multilateral organisations, research and training institutions, and private sector actors.  

 

Cooperation within the CBFP aims to support the shared vision of the Central African Heads of State, notably by improving efficiency of measures-including technical and financial assistance- to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems, combat climate change and reduce poverty in Central African countries in line with the COMIFAC Convergence Plan.

 

To this end, CBFP partners implement these measures in a bid to:

  • Tackle drivers of deforestation, ease pressure on primary or naturally regenerated forests,
  • Protect biodiversity and wildlife by strengthening the conservation-security- development nexus including transhumance,
  • Promote good forest governance, sustainable use of resources and land
  • Combat climate change and its effects,
  • Improve the living conditions of local communities, encompassing respect for human rights,

 

Cooperation, governance structure of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership

As a non-binding and voluntary initiative, the CBFP does not have a formal institutional structure. Rather, it is built around a set of informal structures that enable vibrant dialogue, collaboration and exchanges, thereby fostering the emergence of convergent views on key issues relating to protection and sustainable management of Congo Basin forests.

  • CBFP Meeting of Parties:  The CBFP Meeting of Parties serves as the Partnership’s « General Assembly”. It is held in one of the COMIFAC Member States and gathers all CBFP stakeholders.
  • CBFP Colleges:  CBFP Members are grouped within seven colleges by type and role of actors : CBFP Regional College - ECCAS, COMIFAC; CBFP Civil Society College: Leaders : CEFDHAC and REFACOP(Alternate RECEIAC); CBFP International NGO College: Leaders : WCS et ZSL (Alternate AWF and Rainforest Alliance) ; CBFP Private Sector College: Leaders : ATIBT and Volcanoes Safaris(Alternate OLAM ); CBFP Donor College: Leaders : United Kingdom and United States; CBFP Scientific and Academic College: Leaders : Université de Laval and RIFFEAC (Alternates CIFOR and IRET) ; CBFP Multilateral and Intergovernmental Actors’ College: Leaders : FAO and OIBT – ITTO(Alternates: GVTC and UNESCO).
  • CBFP Council: The CBFP Council is comprised of two representatives of each CBF College and is chaired by the CBFP Facilitator.
  • The Facilitation: The CBFP is run on a voluntary basis by one of its members who acts as the Facilitator, promoting effective dialogue and cooperation within the Partnership. The CBFP was initially facilitated by the United States from January 2003 - December 2004, followed by France from 2005-2007, Germany from 2008-2010 and Canada from 2010-2012. The United States again assumed Facilitation from May 2013 to December 2015, the European Union from January 2017 to December 2018, the Kingdom of Belgium from January 2018 to December 2019, and the Federal Republic of Germany for the period from 2020 to July 2023. Co-facilitation of the CBFP is now provided by France and Gabon for the period from 2023 to 2025.

For more information, please download:

Cooperation Framework for Members of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership