In March this year the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) convened a meeting in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, with the aim of reaching agreement on the implementation of the COMIFAC Convergence Plan 2006-2008. About 60 people from eight of the COMIFAC member countries were present, including forestry and environment experts, donor and government representatives, as well as representatives from NGOs and research organisations like CIFOR.

COMIFAC was established in 2005, at a summit of the Central Africa Heads of State in Brazzaville ,to act as a regional forum for the conservation and sustainable joint management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa. The countries include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Chad, Burundi, Sao Tomé and Rwanda.

Those attending the summit created the Convergence Plan which outlines the planned actions for sustainable forest management and conservation in Central Africa, including regional, national and transboundary. The plan’s strategies include harmonising forest and tax policies, developing alternative forest activities, and reducing poverty through sustainable forestry livelihoods. Organisations were allocated responsibility for leading and contributing to each theme at various levels with CIFOR identified as a technical partner for most. JR, TF