Participants at the 5^th meeting of the FSC referential elaboration Group for the certification of Congo Basin Forests adopt unanimously and by acclamation the 4^th draft of the Congo Basin sub-regional referential (STD-SR-FSC-BC), adopt the work plan for the continuation of the STD-SR-FSC-BC development process, validated by participants.

Please download the complete report fo the meeting: HERE

Douala (Cameroon), 26 – 30 April 2011: The sub-regional Work Group on the elaboration of an FSC certification referential for the Congo Basin, held its 5^th meeting marking a new step towards the development of a sub-regional standard, especially with decisions taken concerning the interpretation of Principles 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of the 3^rd draft issued during former workshops, in order to produce a high quality Standard that meets FSC requirements in accordance with FSC-STD-60-006 Procedure for the development of Forest Stewardship Standards and the context of countries where it is going to be used. This meeting was received the financial support of the German Cooperation (KfW) through WWF-RDC, of FFEM through EFOFORAC Project implemented by ATIBT, and of the CARPE Programme.

About forty participants attended the meeting moderated by Jonas KEMAJOU SYAPZE with the contribution of Isaac MOUSSA (Congo); François MAKOLO (DRC); Martial Agondongo (Gabon); Raymond Mendza (Cameroon); Didier Tsanga (Cameroon); Rosine Bayogo (CAR) and Elie Hakizumwami (FSC-Africa).

These participants were members of national initiatives, members of the sub-regional group for the putting in place of the sub-regional FSC referential in the Congo Basin, international organizations operating in the sub-region and observers from different countries of the sub-region.  Several actors, involved in FSC certification of Congo Basin forests attended this meeting. These are representatives of environmental, social and economic chambers FSC of national FSC initiatives in Central Africa (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, CAR and DRC), representatives of international NGOs (WWF, Greenpeace, WCS, etc.), certification bureaus (VERITAS, SMARTWOOD).

Deliberations were carried out following the action steps below: (1) Opening of the workshop; (2) Organization of deliberations; (3) Reconstitution of the conciliation group; (4) Holding of analysis sessions and comments on PCI 6.2 to 10 (5) Adoption of referential by all the participants.

The four sessions planned in the meeting agenda enable the analysis and the adoption of the indicators of Principles 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Participant’s analysis and comments of all PCI chambers are available in the meeting report on the link below: HERE

The work plan validated during the 5^th meeting remains the one adopted during the second meeting of the work group and presented by Mr. Richard ROBERTSON with the following main points: (1) Work Group on FHVC (High Conservation Value Forests); (2) National workshops for the integration of FLEGT requirements (legality grids); (3) Tests of the sub-regional referential; (4) Evaluation workshop of test results and recommendation to international FSC; (5) Adaptation of the referential at local level

Family Photo: Participant at the workshop @ FSC Africa

-------------

To learn more… 

Once again, read the fourth workshop report of the Group for the development of the FSC referential for Congo Basin forest certification, Brazzaville (Congo) 4-6 October 2010:

Once again, read the article on the 3^rd meeting of the sub-regional work group on the development of an FSC certification referential for the Congo Basin (1-3 September 2009 – Douala, Cameroon): Towards the Development of a Unique Sub-regional Certification Referential 

• "Full success to the workshop on High Conservation Value forests", ATIBT presents all the documents relating to the first GSRT consultation meeting (26-29 February in Douala), especially concerning the validation of Principle 9 FSC 

• Read again the conclusions of CBFP workshop on the place of industrial forest exploitation in the sustainable management of Congo Basin forests (19-20 May 2009) and the conclusions of the 7^th CCR meeting

• Legal Opinion of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights Concerning the Un Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (2007)