Yaounde, 13 September 2016, The European Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership has just welcomed the Youth Network for Central African Forests (REJEFAC) as a new CBFP member.

In terms of regional representation, the Network of Young Environmental Actors for Central African Forests (REJEFAC), is one of the thematic networks of CEFDHAC and is composed of NGOs and youth associations involved with sustainable management of natural resources in the Congo Basin. REJEFAC was officially launched in 2006 in Libreville at the CEFDHAC sub-regional forum on sustaibable management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa. With a view to streamlining its  structure and functioning, REJEFAC held two general assemblies in 2008 and 2012 with IUCN facilitation and support from development partners.

Specifically at the 2008 General Assembly, the Network’s statutes were discussed, the sub regional coordination established with focal points elected and the roadmap validated. It spans ten countries in Central Africa, and could expand into all the countries of the African Union (the network is already forging ties with the Pan African Youth Union and national councils of African countries and the sub region including some country focal points). The aforementioned ten countries are members of COMIFAC (Central African Forest Commission). These include: Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad with Angola set to join soon.

Moreover, REJEFAC’s regional coordination has helped organize several other strategic and thematic meetings to enhance understanding of the Network's missions and operations. The network has also taken part in a host of capacity building national and regional meetings on themes related to the Convergence Plan, such as REDD +; the VPA certification process FLEGT, the Green Economy, biodiversity, etc... The meetings, helped highlight among other things, the key role of environmental youth groups in the sustainable management of forest ecosystems.

In early 2014, at a regional REJEFAC meeting in Bafoussam, Cameroon, the contribution of youths in the Congo Basin was assessed and included a Redd + communications plan, a strategy for engaging young stakeholders in the Redd + drafting process. Since 2012 and throughout the process, we have been working to finalize the strategic guidelines which are likely to sharpen REJEFAC’s vision and mission, and especially to remind each member of the Bureau and the focal point of their roles and responsibilities both at the nationally and regional levels.

Regarding cooperation with COMIFAC and priorities in line with Convergence Plan 2: REJEFAC is a specialized member network of CEFDHAC, which is itself a subsidiary structure of COMIFAC, focusing on Tier 2 of civil society in the sub-region and working to ensure full participation of actors in sub-regional dialogue on the sustainable natural resources management in Central Africa. Considering that gender and youth-related concerns fall under axes 2 of the Convergence Plan of COMIFAC, our priorities for action will form part of our mission to foster participation of civil society actors in general and youth in particular the Congo Basin in the sustainable development process, through their effective involvement in sustainable natural resource management programs in Central Africa.

REJEFAC is now one of 85 CBFP member countries and organizations, working together in Central Africa to promote sustainable management of resources, improve people’s living conditions and protect the unique bodiversity of the subregion’s rainforests.

“Welcome” to our new member “The Youth Network for Central African Forests (REJEFAC)”:

Contacts:

Ms TamoifoNkom Marie,

REJEFAC Regional Coordinator

Yaounde, Republic of Cameroon.

E-mail : tamoifo@gmail.com / tamoifo@outlook.fr

And

M Lokofe longango king.

Point focal REJEFAC RDC

E-mail : kingerlokofe@yahoo.fr

For further information please visit: Here