How can we mobilize sustainable financing for the Congo Basin’s Protected Areas? This was one of the aims of the 2nd Steering Committee meeting (COPIL) of the Regional Project: “CBSP-Partnerships for Biodiversity Conservation: Sustainable financing of Protected Areas in the Congo Basin-PIMS 3447” The meeting took place in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo from 26 to 27 September 2019.

Please read the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE

Towards developing sustainable financing strategies for Protected Areas in the Congo Basin.

Brazzaville, 27 September 2019 - The Regional Project “CBSP-Partnership for Biodiversity Conservation: Sustainable financing of Protected Areas in the Congo Basin - PIMS 3447” will be holding its second sub-regional Steering Committee meeting (COPIL) of 2019 in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, from 26 to 27 September 2019. The regional project aims to mobilize sustainable financing for the Congo Basin’s Protected Areas The meeting comes after the first Steering Committee meeting (COPIL) of 2019 which was held in Douala from 9 to 10 April. 

The Regional Project “CBSP-Partnership for Biodiversity Conservation: Sustainable financing of Protected Areas in the Congo Basin - PIMS 3447” covers 63 protected areas in the world’s 2nd largest forest area, the Congo Basin. The Basin represents close to 18.5 million hectares covering six beneficiary countries taking part in the project: Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They shelter almost 25% of the world’s tropical forests. The project aims to sustainably improve the financing of the sub-region’s Protected Area system through among other things, training, the establishment of institutional frameworks and model mechanisms to help ensure the long-term financial viability of Protected Areas systems and related ecosystems in the six participating countries, 

The 2nd Steering Committee meeting of 2019 brings together steering committee members appointed by the six countries, namely: Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea , the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Central African Republic(CAR) ; others who joined them included the National CEFDHAC Coordinator for the Congo, COMIFAC delegates, the UNDP representatives of the Congo and Cameroon, as well as members of the Regional Project Management and Coordinating Unit’s team. The aim of the meeting was to update the country representatives who sit on the COPIL, on the progress status of the 6 participating countries and discuss the challenges of the project’s next mid-term review due by the end of the year. The regional project is on track to deliver results with a 66% rate of achievement of its Work Plan 2019. All is set to validate the sustainable financing strategies for Protected Areas in the six countries in 2019.

Mr. Jean Bosco NGANONGO, Director of Wildlife and Protected Areas of the Congo, and Chairman of the Steering Committee said: “It’s a tall order, engaging all stakeholders in addition to the Technical and Financial Partners who are already active in the sub-region will be key to the success of this important regional project, which should result in these three expected outcomes. “He thanked all the statutory members for attending and conveyed his gratitude to the COMIFAC Executive Secretariat, the Global Environment Fund (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme for their tireless efforts to seek lasting solutions for conservation of biodiversity in the Protected Areas of the Congo Basin. In fact, from the start of the project, the six beneficiary countries received USD8,181,181 in financial support from the Global Environment Fund (GEF) towards the implementation of the regional project by COMIFAC assisted the UNDP in Cameroon, the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the DRC and CAR.

The Congo Basin stands out on the global scene as a home to a rich variety of endemic fauna and flora. The results of this project are crucial both for the sub-region and on a global scale, since the six countries in the Congo Basin are home to close to a quarter of the world’s tropical forests. Preserving the Congo Basin’s forests is vital especially in the face of the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity. In fact, many Sustainable Development Goals are directly related to the health of the planet, at a time when declining biodiversity threatens to trigger ripple adverse effects. However, sustainable investments into nature conservation can improve the lives of millions of people who depend on forests for their well-being and livelihoods.

For more information, please contact:

Florence Danner, UNDP Communications expert, florence.danner@undp.org