The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) was launched last September at the Johannesburg world summit on sustainable development under the auspices of the US and South Africa.

Its objectives are to promote and provide support for the conservation and sustainable management of the forest ecosystems in Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Central Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These ecosystems contain a quarter of the world’s tropical forest area and harbour an extraordinary level of biodiversity.

The realisation of these objectives will lead to enhanced economic development, poverty alleviation, improved local governance, the creation of economic opportunities for communities that depend on the Congo Basin’s forest resources and the combating of illegal logging.

The CBFP recognises the key role which the serious, law-abiding forester plays towards the socio-economic development of the countries in which they operate, contributing between 6-10% of GNP, employing more than 100,000 people directly throughout the region and providing much needed infrastructures such as roads, hospitals and schools.

Central to the initiative behind the CBFP is the idea that the implementation of sustainable development is too big an issue for any one government. Therefore, all stakeholders (governments, international organisations, international environmental NGOs and representatives from the private sector) are to work together.

The US is investing US$53m towards the partnership to 2005, and other partners such as the EU, UK, France, Germany, Canada and Japan, have promised significant contributions, while environmental NGOs have pledged to meet the US figure.

The first meeting, organised by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January, was a chance to exchange information on individual programmes under way and seek opportunities of collaboration, in addition to exploring ways for future CBFP projects to be co-ordinated and monitored.

As a partner in the initiative, the InterAfrican Forest Industries Association (IFIA) which represents the interests of over 300 enterprises in central and western Africa, supports the CBFP and aims to be a key player in its various projects.

The idea of the private sector working in collaboration with other stakeholders is not new and IFIA and its members have been working towards the sustainable management of forest concessions with governments, financial donors and environmental NGOs for several years.

Forest concessions

Within the next five years in the Congo Basin some 16 million ha of forest concession will be under long-term sustainable management. Such concessions are complementary to protected zones and are increasingly managed to take into account wildlife and indigenous peoples’ needs.

The IFIA pledges to pursue its policy of social progress and sustainable forest management, co-operate in the control of illegal timber harvesting and bushmeat commerce and, in a bid for greater transparency, facilitate an audit on the total forestry sector contribution to individual countries’ GNP.

However, if the CBFP is to be a success and lead to long-term sustainable development within the region, it needs to address the following issues:

  • Encouragement of political stability and good government in order to create a stable and attractive investment atmosphere.

  • Reinforcement of forestry administrations, in labour, competence and technical and financial means.

  • Promotion of professional training within the industry.

  • Control of illegal logging by helping administrations establish efficient controls and sanctions.

  • Recognition and support of steps being taken by foresters towards sustainable forest management.

  • Discouragement of negative, unproductive actions such as boycotts or non-tariff barriers.

  • Support for forest management plans, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises lacking the technical competence or financial means to implement them.

  • Implementation of simple, incentive-giving tax systems to encourage industrial investments and sustainable forest management practices.

So there are still hurdles to overcome in the Congo Basin. But the CBFP is an important step forward towards long-term sustainable ecosystem management in the region, and the private sector aims to be at the forefront of the initiative.

For more information contact IFIA@wanadoo.fr or visit the website at www.ifiasite.com.