At Yaounde confab: Greenpeace Africa mobilises stakeholders to strategise on Congo Basin conservation.

This was the focus of the pioneer Congo Basin Civil Society Organisations Conference that was held in Yaounde from July 29 to 31.

The confab was chaired by the Centre Regional Delegate of the Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, MINEPDED, Antoine Mandong. It was on the theme: “The Forest of the Congo Basin at a cross roads: Between Conservation, Exploitation and Sustainable Development”.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mandong congratulated Greenpeace Africa for organising the meeting through which CSOs can seek solutions to environmental challenges and aid the government in in attaining its sustainable development goals.

“The protection of our forest and environment remains a major preoccupation for the government. Cameroon has always worked to ensure the amelioration of legislation for the management of natural resources. Texts keep being revised to meet up with the demands of the modern world. We hope this conference will provide us with the necessary resources to combat the climate crisis,” Mandong stated.

Enter organisers

Speaking via video conference, the Executive Director of Greenpeace Africa, Dr Oulie Keita,  thanked the stakeholders for their presence at the meeting which she said is the first of many more.

Dr Keita reiterated that the conference offers a platform for participants to take stock, share experiences and propose solutions to the current challenges in the Congo Basin, the second largest rainforest in the world.

“As Africans, we owe it to ourselves, our countries, communities and future generations to protect and preserve our planet because there is no planet B. Spare no efforts in search of sustainable solutions for our people and environment,” Dr Keita emphasised.

On his part, the Director of Programmes for Greenpeace Africa, Murtala Touray, said the conference is particular with an inclusive approach that has brought together communities and indigenous people to amplify their voices in seeking redress. 

“The CBR cannot be well managed in the absence of local community, indigenous people and civil society. We have COP29 coming up soon in Azerbaijan and one key issue we will be looking at is how to get the appropriate finance for the management of our forests considering its importance to our livelihoods,” Touray said.

Enter stakeholders, CSOs

The participants expressed gratitude to Greenpeace Africa for bringing them together in the quest to find durable solutions for the sustainable management of natural resources especially the CBR which is the lungs of the earth. 

Speaking to the press, the President of the network for African Traditional Rulers, for the sustainable management of biodiversity and forest ecosystems, His Majesty Bruno Mvondo, stated that destroying the forest is destroying the legacy of our ancestors.

“Our forests are dying with our traditions. Without forest we cannot display our traditions and rites. African spirituality is based on our ancestors and our ancestors are found in nature. Everyone has a role to play to protect our flora and fauna,” the custodian of tradition declared.

On her part, the Civil Society Representative from Gabon, Ntsameondo Rose, pointed out that one of the main activities of the confab was to identify weak points in national and international legislations and propose long-lasting solutions.

At the close of the conference, participants came up with a document that analyzed the shortcomings of development policies in the countries of the Congo Basin with regards to national and international commitments to climate change.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3187 of Friday August 02, 2024