An important awareness and planning workshop on the REDD+ process and the implementation of a national surveillance and MNV system was held on 26 and 27 March 2013 in Bujumbura in Burundi.

The workshop which was jointly organized by the Ministry of Water, Environment, Planning and Urban Affairs (MEEATU) and the FAO, had the following objectives:  

♦ To identify stakeholders and key partners and define their roles and capacity building needs in developing the REDD+  process and particularly in setting up the National Forest Surveillance System (SNSF),

♦ To inform various stakeholders on project objectives,  results and priorities and

♦ Kick start discussions on institutional arrangements of the REDD+ process and the SNSF, and on the

♦ Methodology for drafting the R-PP and the roadmap of the REDD+ process and the SNSF.

Recognizing the relevance of the topic, close to 70 participants turned up, representing various institutions, notably the Presidency of the Republic of Burundi, the second Vice-Presidency of the  Republic of Burundi, the National Assembly,sector-based ministries, the ADB, the Belgian Embassy, international organizations, civil society and indigenous peoples, the public and private media.

The meeting, moderated by Mr. Serge NGENDAKUMANA, an expert in environmental policy and governance, unfolded in three main stages:

1. The opening ceremony  

The workshop was officially opened by the Assistant to the Minister of Water, Environment, Planning and Urban Affairs, Mr. Deogratias BABONWANAYO, by the COMIFAC representative, Mr. Etienne MASUMBUKO and by the FAO representative in Burundi Mr. Mohamed HAMA GARBA.  

2. Plenary discussions and formulation of recommendations  

This session was marked by a string of presentations notably regarding the MNV project and its progress status, the state of the environment and forests in Burundi, the progress level of climate change negotiations and policies in Burundi, the REDD+ concept and climate change, the SNSF, the R-PP formulation process and sharing of Cameroon’s experience in developing its REDD+ process.   

Having listened to the presentations, the participants expressed their views. This exchange led to the formulation of recommendations addressed to the Burundian government, FAO and COMIFAC.

Thus, it was underlined that: The Burundian government should capitalize all the data from forest inventories available in Burundi and abroad and strengthen institutions established for REDD+ purposes by developing a plan to mobilize organizational, technical and financial resources.

The FAO should provide technical and organizational support towards implementation of the REDD+ process and construction of components of the MNV tool (inventory and teledetection).  

COMIFAC should promote the systematic integration of its 4 member countries engaged in the process (Burundi, Chad, Rwanda and Sao Tome & Principe), in the development of activities in Central Africa and foster cooperation between various countries of the sub region through South-South exchanges.  

3. Construction of the roadmap for the R-PP 

In addition, the participants developed a road map that would lead to the elaboration of a REDD+ preparatory paper by December 2013.  

The participants in the workshop parted on a high note of satisfaction.  

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Final Communiqué