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Civil society organizations from the Congo Basin in closed ranks around the Federal Republic of Germany’s CBFP Facilitator, Honourable Dr. Christian Ruck
The Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of the Congo Basin, met within the CBFP Civil Society College, represented by their Chairs and Regional Coordinators, are committed to speaking with one voice to promote the image of the Congo Basin at the national, regional and international levels. They support the Facilitation's roadmap and will spare no effort to contribute to its implementation.
Thus, the CSOs of the Congo Basin unanimously approved the CBFP roadmap, calling on the German Facilitation to accelerate the implementation of the Douala Declaration, which emerged from the CBFP Civil Society Day organized in December 2019 on the side-lines of the high-level meeting of the CBFP Governing Council. They also requested the Facilitation to advocate for more transparency with regard to the positioning of CSOs in the CAFI process and in the projects and programmes of implementing partners in the Congo Basin.
On 26 June 2020, all the members of the Congo Basin Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) college of the CBFP, represented by their Chairs and Regional Coordinators, took an active part in the virtual meeting with the German CBFP Facilitator, Honourable Dr. Christian Ruck.
The Meeting was moderated by Minister Mbitikon Raymond, CBFP Co-Facilitator.
In his introductory remarks, Dr. Christian RUCK, the CBFP Facilitator, recalled the effects that the Covid-19 situation had created in his mission agenda under preparation in the sub-region. He hailed the remarkable attendance and organization of the members of the CBFP College of CSOs. The CBFP Facilitator stressed the importance and the crucial place of civil society organizations within the CBFP, as key actors in the field with proven expertise which is relevant to the Partnership as a whole. Presenting the CBFP Facilitation's roadmap, he laid special emphasis on its ambition to pursue the implementation of the N'Djamena Declaration, the one on the fight against poaching, and to strengthen the dialogue with China. Dr. Ruck presented the process leading to the adoption of a common position/declaration of the Congo Basin with regard to the major future international challenges. In this regard, he noted that his CBFP Facilitation is dominated by the EU-Africa Summit, the EU-China Summit and the CBD and UNFCCC conferences. These events offer great opportunities to the Congo Basin, and the Facilitator sees the CBFP as a means to ensure that the voice of the Congo Basin is heard clearly and in agreement in these global platforms. The Congo Basin is at the cross-road and the opportunities in terms of international challenges are at hand. It must seize them. Coming together to speak with one voice also offers the opportunity to create some discipline to better influence. With regard to the process towards a common Congo Basin position, the German CBFP Facilitator explained the need to continue the process of collecting responses to technical questions sent to CSOs, and that the deadline for the submission of contributions was set for 1 July, 2020. Before closing his remarks, Dr. Christian Ruck asked for the support of civil society organizations in the Congo Basin, emphasizing that the success of his Facilitation would depend on that.
Following the statement by Dr Christian Ruck, the German CBFP Facilitator, the floor was given to the Co-Leaders of the CBFP Civil Society College, namely His Majesty Honourable Essola Etoa Louis-Roger and Mr Nicaise Moulombi on the one hand, and on to members of the College on the other.
A summary of the contributions, intense and fruitful discussions is available below:
His Majesty, Honourable Essola Etoa Louis-Roger, Chairperson of the CEFDHAC Regional Steering Committee
On behalf of the Civil Society College, he congratulated Germany for assuming the CBFP Facilitation for the second time and announced the endorsement of by CSO College of the German CBFP Facilitation Roadmap. Thereafter, His Majesty Honourable Essola refreshed participants on the outcomes of the civil society day organized in Douala in December 2019, including a declaration adopted at the end of the day. This declaration brings together the recommendations of civil society. The CBFP College of CSOs called for support in the implementation of the Douala declaration. On all the actions foreseen in the roadmap, in particular the strengthening of the Dialogue with China; the EU-Africa Summits; EU-China as well as at the Biodiversity and Climate COPs, it called for a strong involvement of civil society in the process, especially in the envisaged preparatory frameworks in order to ensure effective regarding these joint contributions.
Mr. Nicaise Moulombi, Chairperson of the Network of Civil Society Organizations for the Green Economy in Central Africa (ROSCEVAC) and Second Vice-President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Gabon
On behalf of the civil society organizations that are not members of CEFDHAC, Mr. Moulombi expressed their adherence to the CBFP Facilitation roadmap. Beyond the China-Africa dialogue, he stressed the importance of the dialogue initiated within CAFI with civil society organizations. He recalled that to date, civil society is not actively taken into account in the CAFI negotiations in the countries and regretted the lack of transparency. Furthermore, he called for extending the dialogue beyond China, but also focusing it on other important partners in the Congo Basin such as Russia, Japan, etc...
Mr. Moulombi advocated for standardising support for the forests of Central Africa and the role that COMIFAC should play in this process.
Finally, he wished to receive more information from the Facilitation on the continuation of the process that should lead to a common position for the Congo Basin, recalling that its ROSCEVAC Network has already submitted its contribution and its answers to the questionnaires.
Mr. Nicaise Moulombi, proposed that each member of the CBFP's Society College at the national level should analyse the CAFI initiative from the perspective of CSOs’ participation in order to ensure that civil society organizations and forest communities are taken into account in the initiative. He committed to do an analysis of CAFI from a CSO perspective in his country Gabon. As soon as the analyses are available in each country, a compilation will be made. The result of these consultations will be shared with the CBFP Facilitator to assist CSOs in the Congo Basin in their advocacy with CAFI. The briefing note will be produced by the leaders of the CBFP CSOs College on CAFI for transmission to the CBFP Facilitator.
Monique BISSECK YIGBEDEK, Regional Coordinator of the Network of Women for Sustainable Development (REFADD)
REFADD is seeking a commitment from the CBFP Facilitation in the implementation of the CSOs’ declaration which emerged from the December 2019 day in Douala. She reiterated the points raised in the declaration. With regard to a key point of the declaration, the CSOs of the Congo Basin asked for a current assessment of partners' support for the Congo Basin. She announced that REFADD has already responded to the CBFP Facilitation's technical questionnaire. She pleaded for a better consideration of security and community challenges in partners' projects and programs.
Marie Nkom Tamoifo, Regional Coordinator of the Youth Network for Central African Forests (REJEFAC)
Ms. Tamoifo welcomed the openness of the CBFP Facilitation to civil society and youth organizations in particular. She recalled that REJEFAC has been active in organizing CBFP meetings through a volunteer service of young leaders that it has been mobilizing to facilitate the organization of CBFP meetings for several years. She stressed that REJEFAC was available support the organization of CBFP meetings as usual. As regards the COP Climate and Biodiversity, its network has experience in mobilizing youth to participate in a close rows, through the annual organization of the COPs AT HOME. She requested from the CBFP Facilitation a support for a greater participation of youths in the process towards a common position and recalled the availability of the Network's strategic document.
Raoul Siemeni, Director Africa Environment Plus and President of the Network of Communicators for Environment and Information in Central Africa (RECEIAC)
Siemeni, advocated for a single approach, a single position for CSOs in Central Africa in the process towards a common Congo Basin position. He proposed that the German Facilitation should help facilitate a harmonization of views and positions within civil society so that it can speak with one voice. He noted the urgency of cohesion among CSOs in the Congo Basin. In addition, with regard to RECEIAC, Mr. Siemeni called for communication to remain a priority of the German CBFP Facilitation. The need to maintain the information dynamic around the Partnership and its members.
Maixent Fortunin Agnimbat Emeka, Coordinator of the African Community Rights Network (ACRN)
Agnimbat Emeka reiterated ACRN's support for the implementation of the roadmap of the German CBFP Facilitation. He called for giving a louder voice to forest communities in this process.
Ms. Cécile Ndjebet - Coordinator of the Network of African Women for Community Forest Management (REFACOF) and Coordinator of the Central African Civil Society REDD+ & CC Platform (PR2CAC)
Ms. Ndjebet recalled that we are in a decade on family farming and that we are entering a decade on landscape restoration. She pointed out that this aspect was not taken into account in the questionnaire as well as the impact of COVID 19. She requested that these new themes be taken into account before reiterating the importance for the Congo Basin society to speak with one voice, to better coordinate its actions and work in cohesion.
Ms. MAIMUNA UMARO, Biodiversity Focal Point and National Coordinator Chad of the Network of Indigenous and Local Populations of Central Africa (REPALEAC)
Ms. MAIMUNA UMARO welcomed the roadmap of the German CBFP Facilitation and stressed that REPALEAC would provide these contributions in writing in the coming days.
Some guidelines and answers provided by the CBFP Facilitation to the contributions of CBFP society organisations
Dr. Iven Schad, BMZ Central Africa Division
On the point calling for more transparency within CAFI for a greater CSO’s participation, Dr. Iven Schad recalled that CSOs’ participation is essential and important for the BMZ. He stressed that the BMZ and the CBFP Facilitator are following CAFI's development within the CAFI Board.
Minister Mbitikon, CBFP Co-Facilitator, underlined with satisfaction the importance and richness of the proposals from CSOs in the Congo Basin, noting that CSOs have innovative ideas that could enrich the sub-regional debate. Seizing this opportunity, he appealed on the basis of the request of several participants, for better cohesion and collaboration, for a sub-regional union around key objectives so that CSOs of the Congo Basin speak with one voice.
Honourable Dr. Christian Ruck, the German CBFP, thanked the participants for their contributions, ideas and constructive thoughts, which he will take into account in the framework of his mandate.
On the process towards the Congo Basin Common Position, Dr. Ruck confirmed the role and key input of civil society and stressed that he would like to promote more discussions with civil society and looks forward to written contributions from all members of the college following the Facilitation questionnaire, including on new themes. Subsequently, the CSOs College Co-Leaders and the CBFP Facilitation will collect all the completed questionnaires for a synthesis and proposal of a draft document for intensive discussions in the colleges. He took good note of the importance of taking into account the different actors, notably indigenous people, forest communities, women, youth...
With regard to the Douala Declaration adopted at the end of the CBFP civil society day, the Facilitator has taken due note and will follow up as soon as possible.
Regarding CAFI, the CBFP Facilitator recalled that Germany chairs both initiatives: CAFI and CBFP. A major focus of his interventions as Facilitator would be to bring the two initiatives closer and synchronise them, strengthen synergies and pool efforts.
Giving an update on his participation in the last CAFI Board meeting, he said that he had advocated for increased CSOs’ participation in CAFI and suggested that CAFI should use the CBFP platform, including colleges to conduct consultations. With regard to civil society participation in CAFI, this is an issue that he said he could discuss with CAFI. He stressed that all contributions are welcome. All ideas and whatever the subject should be discussed without taboos. He welcomed the fact that civil society in the Congo Basin would like to speak with one voice. Furthermore, he welcomed the fact that several participants had promised to make written contributions, which would be much appreciated.
In his closing remarks, the Honourable Dr Christian Ruck expressed his willingness to meet with civil society as soon as the borders are opened again.
Korup United, the Voluntary Association of ex-personnel of the Korup Project (1998-2003), is organizing a two-day Symposium October 31 - November 01, 2024, on Conservation and Sustainable Development in the Lower Guinea Congolian Forest Ecosystem. This event also commemorates the 38th Anniversary of the creation of the Korup National Park in October 1986 by Presidential Decree as the first rainforest IUCN Category II National Park in Cameroon.
Mrs Salina GRENET-CATALANO was appointed on July 5, 2024, by decrees of the Prime Minister and the Minister in charge of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Director of Global Affairs of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. It is in this light that she takes over Mr Christophe GUILHOU and becomes French’s new Co-facilitator for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP).
PANGEA investigates variation between and within Earth’s two largest tropical forests in the Americas and Central Africa while integrating datasets and research from existing and complementary activities across the tropics. PANGEA’s research questions focus on five thematic areas, Biogeochemical Cycles; Biodiversity; Climate Interactions and Feedbacks; Social-Ecological Systems; and Disturbance Dynamics.
The Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB) was launched on 3rd December 2023, at COP28 in Dubai. The SPCB is an independent platform for scientists from the region to synthesize the existing knowledge including Indigenous peoples and autochthonous knowledge, on the functioning of, and threats to, the Congo Basin and its ecosystems.
The DYNAFAC collective was created to develop common skills and technical and scientific complementarities. Its goal: to develop activities that will ultimately improve development plans and ensure better management of production forests in Central Africa.
The Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) is an independent scientist-led platform that promotes long-term investment in science in the Congo Basin with a mission to transform our understanding of the world’s second largest extent of tropical forest, build scientific capacity in the region, and use this knowledge to support sustainable development.
In his book, "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need,” Bill Gates singled out CGIAR centers, which have been at the forefront of supporting the world to feed itself through research including developing improved higher-yielding varieties of important staples such as maize and rice, as doing work that is “indispensable in creating new climate-smart crops and livestock for the world’s poor farmers.”
The PANGEA Scoping Campaign had a strong presence at the 20th Meeting of the Parties of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership from May 31 – June 5, 2024 in Kinshasa, DRC. The conference exchanges between civil servants, scientists, and philanthropic organizations in the Congo Basin provided a special opportunity to address the need for strengthening collaborative partnerships in the region and pan-tropically.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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".
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.
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...
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.
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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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This hybrid event aims to set the stage for the 2025 IYC, which will be officially launched during the ICA Global Cooperative Conference, scheduled for November 25-29, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The New York event will serve as a platform to deepen the theme of IYC2025, unveil the media package, discuss the UN resolutions outlining the modalities for the IYC launch.
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.
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.
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...
