Rainforest Alliance officially confirmed its adherence to the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP)

New York (USA), 7 March 2012 – Rainforest Alliance officially confirmed its desire to join the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). In this perspective, Rainforest Alliance is aware of the cooperation framework of CBFP members and agrees to comply with it.

Rainforest Allianceis a non-governmental organization based in New York, USA and whose mission is to protect biodiversity and secure sustainable livelihoods by transforming farming and trading practices and consumers' behaviour.

For the past 20 years and being present in over 70 countries around the world, Rainforest Alliance has been fighting to protect biodiversity, the social rights and the condition of workers and local communities. Farms and logging companies which comply with Rainforest Alliance standards get their certification, which is increasingly recognized  by enterprises and consumers in America, Europe and Asia.

Through its Rainforest-CERT Program, Rainforest Alliance has helped to strengthen forest certification in the Congo basin sub-region by supporting a large number of companies in this process.

In 2010, Rainforest Alliance extended its activities in the Congo Basin through the implementation of a project in South Cameroon. This project aims at building the capacities of communities, indigenous people and small forest owners, so that they can significantly participate and exercise their rights by creating sustainable, economically viable forest activities concerning timber as well as non-timber forest products, and payment for environmental services from forest carbon and the REDD+. This project is sponsored by the CBFF.

A second sub-regional project, funded by GEF and implemented in collaboration with UNEP and WRI, is being also beginning. It is an initiative which aims at strengthening the sustainable management of ecosystems in the Congo basin in contribution to the conservation of world biodiversity and crucial eco-systemic services, in order to maintain a solid base for the sustainable management of the sub-region.

These achievements and the desire to pursue its commitment in the sub-region is thus possible only through the exchange and the development of synergies with all the actors involved in a sustainable future of the Congo Basin forests. Also in this perspective, Rainforest Alliance is aware of the cooperation framework of CBFP members and agrees to comply with it.

“Welcome” to our New Partner Rainforest Alliance!

To learn more, please visit Rainforest Alliance website: http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/fr/