The CBFP Council comprises two representatives of each CBFP College and is chaired by the CBFP Facilitator. It meets twice a year, once during the Annual Meeting of Parties and once in-between annual meetings. Council meetings may be held in Central Africa or Europe.

Thanks to its college-based composition, the Council provides a forum for efficient consultation among the partners. It allows for more effective expression and consideration of the views of various groups of CBFP partners. It fosters the emergence of converging viewpoints on key issues relating to protection and sustainable management of forests, notably major challenges, priorities and efforts to promote concerted action.

The Council also ensures regular follow-up on the outcomes of Annual Meetings of Parties, including reports, conclusions and recommendations and helps the Facilitation organize the meetings. The Council assists the Facilitation in running the Partnership, notably by discussing strategic issues relating to major challenges facing the Congo Basin forests and debating the guidelines and priorities of cooperation within the CBFP.

CBFP colleges may propose items to be included on the Council’s agenda. Such items would have generated significant interest within the College making the proposal. The Facilitation may propose items to be added to the agenda and request input from the colleges.

The Council operates with a high degree of transparency. All CBFP members are informed of all the conclusions of Council meetings.

### Visit this link to access past reports/press releases from Council meetings - In table form

The Facilitation of the Federal Republic of Germany of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), the Acting Presidency of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be jointly hosting the 8th CBFP Council and related meetings from 08 to 11 December 2020 in Kinshasa.

Several Partners’ Side Events will also be held by the partners throughout the week-long meeting marathon.

The Council Meeting will be organized with the financial support of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the technical support of the GIZ technical cooperation.

Please be advised that COVID 19 testing is now mandatory for anyone entering and leaving the DRC. We will send participants detailed information in this respect in due course. Naturally, COVID precautionary measures will be in place during the conference.

We are aware that this CBFP Council Meeting will entail more than the usual challenges in terms of organization and logistics as we wrap up 2020 and will therefore require more flexibility. That said, we believe no effort should be spared in preparing the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, ECCAS, COMIFAC and the Congo Basin countries and their vicinity in a timely and appropriate manner, for the crucial global decisions that will be taken next year.