To close this workshop, participants worked on the four main components/outputs of the project. The issue was to suggest formulations of expected activities and products more precisely and adapted to the current situation in the Congo Basin; to carry out an analysis of the situation and make recommendations on activities to be undertaken in each component; to identify additional funding/opportunities in order to integrate other countries such as Cameroon, the DRC and Gabon, not yet taken into consideration.

Douala, 20-21 March 2012 – Holding of a sub-regional workshop for the launching of the “Harmonized Regional Approach for the Sustainable Management of Production Forests in the Congo Basin” This workshop which gathered about thirty participants from USA, Nairobi, Congo Republic, the DRC, Gabon, CAR, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, included three main phases, namely: speeches, introductions and exchanges, and recommendations and perspectives.

Three speeches were made respectively by Mr. PIERRE METHOT, from the project implementation agency (WRI); Mr. ADAMOU BOUHARI, in charge of UNEP FEM projects and Mr. NCHOUTPOUEN CHOUAIBOU. Following this opening ceremony, Mr. ADAMOU BOUHARI from UNEP presented the general framework of the project at regional and UNEP levels and recalled the importance UNEP attaches to the success of this project for global environmental balance. Mr. PIERRE METHOT presented an overview of the general framework of the project. This was followed by a series of presentations on the 5 outputs of the project, namely: (1) Harmonized instruments for the fight against illegal logging; (2) Incentive market and tax mechanisms; (3) Forest governance and sustainable management conditions; (4) Follow-up and monitoring methodology; (5) Project management.

In an interactive environment, the various presentations raised a number of concerns expressed by participants. On the first day, they concerned the choice of countries, the costs of the project and co-funding, contract award procedures for national implementation agencies, the weak representation of national experts and the experience of international consultants in the Congo Basin. Answers were given on that occasion by the panel, concluded with recommendations relating to the above concerns. It appears that it is urgent that the project be updated and aligned on complementary projects and programmes currently being implemented in the sub-region, especially: ECOFORAF, RECEWOOD, FAO ACP FLEGT, KFW, IDH, CEEAC, OAB/OIBT, SGS-Helveta, CBFF and AFD projects, etc. On the second day, a status report of the project at technical level was presented for each country concerned by Mr. Pierre Méthot, as well as a presentation on the administrative and financial of the project by Mr. ADAMOU BOUHARI and Mrs PENINAH WARIMU from UNEP.

To close this workshop, participants were divided into groups in order to work on the four main components/outputs of the project.

The issue was to suggest formulations of expected activities and products more precisely and adapted to the current situation in the Congo Basin; to carry out an analysis of the situation and make recommendations on activities to be undertaken in each component; to identify additional funding/opportunities in order to integrate other countries such as Cameroon, the DRC and Gabon, not yet taken into consideration.

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♦ Agenda de l'atelier

♦ Procès verbal de la réunion

♦ Extrant 1-Instruments harmonisés de lutte contre l’exploitation forestière illégale

♦ Extrant 2- Les mécanismes de marchés et fiscaux incitatifs 

♦ Les conditions de gouvernance et de gestion durable des forêts

♦ Extrant 4 La méthodologie de suivi et monitoring