06.03.2015
The Forest Conservation Project for the Congo Basin held its fourth meeting in Malabo from 24-26 February. This project is funded by the United Nations Environment Program and the Forest Commission of Central Africa, and is developed by the Global Environment Facility.
The project sees the joining together of regional organisations responsible for overseeing the conservation of forests in countries of the Congo Basin. Since its creation, the project established three pilot countries, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic, with each of the regional committee meetings held in each of the pilot countries.
During the meeting held in Malabo, the committee reviewed the progress of the previous year’s in-country activities. In the case of Equatorial Guinea, this is led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry—under the organisation of ANDEGE, the largest conservation NGO in Equatorial Guinea—and conducted by members of civil society.
Gabriel Ngua Ayecaba, President of ANDEGE, said that among the events planned for the next period in Equatorial Guinea, one of the activities will be the organisation of “a training course on timber certification for export to meet European Union standards, which accept certified forests wood only”. A seminar targeting timber industry leaders “to foster a positive commitment to international market standards and the training of forest inspectors providing them with necessary reporting tools”, would also be developed the following year.