Audience granted to IUCN Regional Delegation

• Date de Publication : 2023-07-11

The Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Jules Doret NDONGO, received in audience this Monday, July 10, 2023, at 3 p.m. in the conference hall of the ministry, the Regional Director of the West and Central Africa Office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Mme Nana TOURE-SY and her delegation.

During the audience, Madame Nana TOURE-SY, Regional Director since February this year, heartily thanked her host for his support and commitment to IUCN during his term as President of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC). With its role as a union of governments and civil society organizations, to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and biodiversity of nature and to ensure that the use of natural resources is equitable and sustainable.

To this end, the Regional Director expressed the desire to move beyond the Regional approach to a tripartite Eco-regional approach in partnership with MINFOF. This eco-regional approach includes the Gulf of Guinea as well as the Congo Basin regions. Mme Nana TOURE-SY equally requested MINFOF's support and accompaniment in this new working approach, and hopes to be part of the Minister’s vision of setting up a joint technical team to work efficiently on the effective implementation of large-scale projects.

Through this cross-border and holistic approach, the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife reassured the IUCN delegation of the permanent availability of his ministerial department to consistently and efficiently support the projects jointly set up, while hoping that at the next meeting, serious and concrete proposals would be made.

He went on to express his regret at the promises and other commitments made by certain NGOs and countries with strong economies, which have not yet been honored. And yet, to effectively combat illegal logging and poaching, various types of equipment are needed. He reiterated that MINFOF is aware of the role it can play in preserving our forest heritage, thus should be taken seriously and that projects are not limited but rather there is need for more concrete actions in terms of partners and funding.