Participation in PFBC 24

The CBFP, created in 2002, is an international coalition bringing together representatives of governments, regional and international organisations, research bodies, civil society and the private sector, dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of the forests of the world's second largest tropical forest basin. Since 2023, the Partnership has been led by a Franco-Gabonese cofacilitation team, which organised the 20th Meeting of the Parties, a major event that brought together more than 600 participants, including eight ministers from the Congo Basin.

Five members of the OFVi team were able to take part in the Meeting, in particular in Thematic Workshop N°6 "Promoting dialogue and scientific and academic cooperation" where Laurent Durieux, IRD, coordinator of the initiative was able to speak and present OFVi.

Our team organised a side-event entitled "First scientific assessment and co-construction with the countries of the Congo Basin", with guest speakers Alfred Ngomenda (CENAREST - Gabon), Joël Loumeto (Université Marien Ngouabi - Congo), Frank Malale (GEO - DRC) and Michel Ivan Nagui Ondo (AGEOS - Gabon). This was followed by a round-table discussion with the speakers and Elise Rébut (Conservation International) and Le Bienfaiteur Sagang (University of California Los Angeles, NASA JPL).

The main objectives of this side-event were to:

1/ Inform all stakeholders in the region about the progress of the One Forest Vision initiative,

2/ Contribute to the preparatory dialogue for the organisation of co-construction workshops,

3/ Develop new partnerships between existing regional and international initiatives,

4/ Discuss the framework for capacity-building programmes for students and professionals in the Congo Basin.

This event led to the organisation of numerous other side events by various players in the region. For example, OFVi, through Laurent Durieux, was invited to take part in a round table with the Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI), which was also created in 2023 following the One Forest Summit.

This event was rich in exchanges and meetings, demonstrating the desire for good harmonisation and coordination of actions between regional players. After the meeting, OFVi was able to support the University of Laval, which has been involved for more than 15 years with institutions in the Congo Basin, in organising a round table with the players still present (R2FAC, RIFFEAC, ERAIFT, etc.) on the subject of "North-North-South-South collaboration for research and the training of scientists in the Congo Basin".

The CBFP was an excellent opportunity to raise our profile and strengthen our partnerships.