Central Africa mobilizes around “Environmental Assessment and Land Sustainable Management” in Burundi Participants formulate 8 recommendations including among others requesting SEEAC to make use of its collaboration agreements with COMIFAC and the MPs network for the sustainable management of forests in Central Africa (REPAR) in order to promote environmental assessment.

Bujumbura (Republic of Burundi) from 24 to 25 November 2011 - Holding in “CECORES", the Conference and Scientific Research Centre of Université Lumière, the third Annual International Seminar of the Secretariat for Environmental Assessment in Central Africa (SEEAC) under the theme "Environmental Assessment and Land Sustainable Management in Central Africa”  Organised by the SEEAC and the Burundian Association for Environmental Impact Assessments (BAEIS) and under the patronage of the Ministry of Water, Environment, Urban and Territorial Planning of Burundi (MEEATU), this seminar brought together more than sixty participants amongst which, representatives of national associations members of  SEEAC, representatives of international organizations and institutions, civil society organisations and invitees from the public and the private sectors.

The opening ceremony recorded two short speeches  The first by professor Bernadette Habonimana, who welcomed all the participants and introduced basic concepts and definitions on environmental assessment and land sustainable management in order to enable a common understanding of the theme of the seminar. The opening address was presented by His Excellency Mr Jean Marie Nibirantijie, Minister of MEEATU. He underlined firstly that the issue of land sustainable management was very topical in Burundi, but in the context of a land crisis characterised by various imbalances including human insecurity felt at economic, social and environmental levels. In reaction to this crisis, His Excellency Nibirantije informed the participants that the government of Burundi has started a gradual institutionalisation of environmental assessment which shall be translated in the next national legislation. To end he wished full success to the meeting.

After the opening ceremony, participants watched a documentary film on the advocacy for land  sustainable management, which was followed by a series of communications and panel discussions. At the end of the discussions, participants formulated 8 recommendations including: to promote constant advocacy at all levels for effective environmental assessment; to request SEEAC make use of its collaboration agreements with COMIFAC and the MPs network for sustainable forest management in Central Africa (REPAR), in order to promote environmental assessment; to incorporate environmental assessment in decision-making processes related to land sustainable management.

For further information, please download:

♦ Final Communiqué of SEEAC- ABEIE International Seminar