In the heart of the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, more than 500 stakeholders from Congo Basin countries and Europe gathered to actively participate in the 20th Meeting of the Parties of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). The central objective of this three-day meeting is to discuss and develop strategies aimed at accelerating the protection and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa.
Under the leadership of Eve Bazaiba, Congolese Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development, minds united around the imperative need to reconcile the protection of forests with the needs of local populations, who directly depend on these ecosystems for their livelihood. livelihood, health and well-being on a daily basis. Indeed, forests not only represent valuable reserves of oxygen, but also natural pantries, green pharmacies and living spaces for many communities.
The Burundian Minister of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, current President of the Council of Ministers of the Central African Forestry Commission (COMIFAC), underlined the urgency of acting in the face of reality of climate change, a threat weighing on all countries. The consequences of this phenomenon are already palpable and threaten the existence of us all if concrete measures are not taken quickly. It is crucial to abandon simple theoretical discourses to address concrete solutions adapted to the current environmental challenges.
In the same spirit, the director of global affairs of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, co-facilitator of the CBFP for France, pleaded for an intensification of awareness-raising actions aimed at highlighting the essential ecological services that provide the forests of the Congo Basin to humanity. These ecosystems, through their incredible biodiversity, their social and economic importance and their crucial role in the fight against climate change, deserve collective mobilization and reinforced protection.
These exchanges within the CBFP are divided into three components: a political and ministerial component, a technical component and finally a plenary dedicated to the Congo Basin forest partnership. Each segment is accompanied by side events and networking sessions, allowing participants to exchange, share their knowledge and enrich the debates.
Founded in 2002 during the World Sustainable Development Summit in Johannesburg, the CBFP represents an essential platform for dialogue bringing together politicians, experts, private sector actors and members of civil society.. This 20th meeting was preceded by a Youth Forum for Central African Forests, bringing together 150 young people from Central Africa and Europe around the vital issues of forest conservation and sustainable development.
Ultimately, these moments of exchange and reflection highlight the imperative to work together to preserve the natural wealth of the Congo Basin, guarantee a sustainable future for local populations and protect the environment for future generations. International cooperation and continued mobilization are essential to ensure the safeguarding of these precious and irreplaceable ecosystems.