Reorganisation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership

Under the facilitation of the European Union, the CBFP (Congo Basin Forest Partnership) is reorganising itself in order to become more efficient. Initiated in 2000, the partnership organises major regional meetings each year between the various players involved in the forest zones. Meetings attended by over 500 are very rich in terms of discussion, but there is very little follow-up in terms of the implementation of recommendations and decisions.

ATIBT participated in the 16^th meeting, which took place in Kigali from 21-25 November last year. At this meeting, a new organisation of the CBFP was proposed and validated. The CBFP will now have a Board consisting of two members from seven different colleges (donors, NGOs, research institutes and the private sector). The Board will meet twice a year and decide on the topics to be addressed during the CBFP meetings, but it will also monitor the implementation of recommendations.

For the private sector, this new CBFP governance structure is a great asset, as we are often very poorly represented at meetings and we therefore struggle to make our voices heard. For the time being, the Board’s two private sector representatives are ATIBT (defending the interests of the forest-timber sector) and the TFT (agro-industrial sector).

A forthcoming Board meeting is scheduled for the second quarter of 2017. Prior to this meeting, ATIBT will contact Central Africa’s forestry unions, as well as member forestry companies, to request their priorities and their views on the issues to be addressed . We will also inform everyone well in advance of the CBFP meetings (usually held during the 4^th quarter of the year) and will do our best to involve the unions.

For more details on the CBFP’s new governance structure, the progress and the recommendations made at the 2016 Kigali meeting, please visit www.pfbc-cbfp.org.