The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is taking a major step towards preserving the environment by creating its very first fund dedicated to biodiversity. Backed by seed capital of 50 million South African rand (approximately $2.7 million) from the DBSA Green Fund, the fund aims to attract additional investment to protect the region’s fragile ecosystems.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is taking a major step towards preserving the environment by creating its very first fund dedicated to biodiversity. Backed by seed capital of 50 million South African rand (approximately $2.7 million) from the DBSA Green Fund, the fund aims to attract additional investment to protect the region’s fragile ecosystems.
The DBSA Green Fund, endowed with 1.1 billion rand by the South African government’s Department of the Environment, will be the first source of funding for this new biodiversity fund. This initiative marks a significant commitment on the part of the DBSA to fill the funding gap in the area of biodiversity conservation, which is often overshadowed by climate funds focused on the fight against global warming.
An ambitious financing strategy
To strengthen the fund’s financial capacity, the DBSA plans to approach the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other private investors. The GEF, with its 186 member countries, has already allocated 8.6 billion dollars over the last 18 years to projects aimed at combating biodiversity loss and land degradation. By attracting additional funding from this fund and other investors, the DBSA hopes to create a sustainable and significant momentum for biodiversity conservation in southern Africa.
To facilitate investor engagement in this new initiative, the DBSA published a white paper this month. This strategic document provides guidance on integrating biodiversity concerns into investment decisions. Michael Hillary, Head of Funding Operations at the DBSA believes that « the fund is one of the first really big steps in taking these things forward. By the end of this year, we’ll start to get a bit more traction. Wealth funds are recognising how essential biodiversity funds are. »
A response to environmental challenges
The creation of this fund comes at a time when investment in biodiversity conservation has been relatively slow to take off compared with climate funds. In southern Africa, deforestation, loss of natural habitats and land degradation threaten many species and ecosystems. The DBSA Biodiversity Fund represents a proactive response to these challenges, aiming to mobilise significant resources for conservation projects on the ground.
By attracting public and private funding, the DBSA hopes not only to protect ecosystems, but also to raise international awareness of the importance of biodiversity. The DBSA’s efforts to create this fund are part of a broader approach aimed at promoting sustainable management of natural resources and combating the harmful effects of climate change.
Fanta Mabu
Cameroon is facing an alarming situation as an extreme heatwave ravages the north of the country. Major cities such as Maroua and Garoua are particularly hard hit, with between 50 and 60 deaths a day due to record temperatures. In an open letter published on 27 May 2024 in the private daily Le Jour, Abdoulaye Harissou, former President of the Chamber of Notaries of Cameroon, called on the Minister of Public Health, Manaouda Malachie, to condemn the authorities’ silence in the face of this disaster.
Abdoulaye Harissou has denounced the « deafening silence » of local and national authorities in the face of this crisis. « Apart from traditional chiefs and imams, who have given instructions to pray for rain, no authority – governmental, regional or even local – has taken this problem seriously », he says. He points out that emergency measures should have been put in place, such as the distribution of water by tanker, the mobilisation of emergency services and free healthcare for vulnerable populations.
Alarming figures
In Maroua and Garoua, two major towns in the Far North and North regions respectively, at least 50 to 60 people a day were buried as a result of the heatwave. This catastrophic excess of deaths is the result of an inability to manage the effects of the extreme heat, compounded by chronic problems of access to water and medical care.
René Ramses Meyong, climatologist at the National Observatory on Climate Change (NOCC), points out that this heatwave is exceptional in terms of its intensity, duration and geographical distribution. Record temperatures of 47°C have been recorded in the Far North, while normally cooler regions such as the West and North-West are also experiencing high temperatures.
The consequences of this heatwave go far beyond human health. NOCC is warning of the risks to agriculture and livestock farming. The irregular rainfall and long periods of heat are causing rapid evapotranspiration from the soil, drying out vegetation and increasing the risk of bush fires. Livestock suffer from the lack of water and pasture, while agriculture, which is mainly rain-fed, is particularly vulnerable.
A call for action
This climate crisis highlights the urgency of the situation and the need for a rapid, coordinated response. The Cameroonian government and local authorities are being urged to take immediate action to mitigate the effects of this heatwave and protect vulnerable populations. Abdoulaye Harissou proposes raising awareness, better management of water resources and increased medical assistance.
The current crisis in northern Cameroon is a tragic illustration of the effects of climate change on the most vulnerable communities. Rapid and effective action is essential to prevent further loss of life and secure the livelihoods of the region’s inhabitants.
Fanta Mabo
CAMEROON: heat kills « 50 to 60 people a day in the far north ».
The northern regions of Cameroon are facing a humanitarian crisis due to an extreme heatwave that is causing significant excess mortality. Civil society is warning of the consequences of this phenomenon and calling on the authorities to take urgent action.
Faced with the rapid loss of biodiversity in Africa, the protection of wetlands is emerging as a key priority. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, calls for international and local collaboration to preserve these vital ecosystems. From the Gambia to Mozambique, inspiring initiatives are showing the way towards sustainable and participatory management, which is vital for the ecological future of the continent.
Africa’s biodiversity, essential to the continent’s economy and climate resilience, is in serious decline. According to Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, the loss of biodiversity in Africa could accelerate under the impact of climate change, with alarming projections indicating that more than half of African bird and mammal species could disappear by the end of the century. This loss also threatens the productivity of lakes and the diversity of plant species.
In an article published on 21 May 2024 on the United Nations (UN) website, the wetlands expert explains the role of these ecosystems in preserving biodiversity. They are home to a wide range of flora and fauna, provide fresh water and food, create jobs and protect local communities from floods and storms. However, these ecosystems are being destroyed at an alarming rate.
Conservation efforts at different levels
Many African countries have taken steps to counter this crisis by developing national biodiversity strategies and action plans. These efforts are aimed at achieving the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Although overall progress is difficult to measure, notable successes have been achieved in restoring threatened species and managing protected wetlands.
International initiatives such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands play a key role. For example, cross-border collaboration between Gambia and Senegal has led to the protection of the Niumi-Saloum Ramsar site, which is crucial for regional biodiversity. In Gabon, World Bank-funded projects have strengthened conservation in parks and forested wetlands, reducing illegal activities such as fishing and poaching.
In South Africa, a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has improved management of the iSimangaliso wetland, creating jobs and training local leaders in effective resource management. Mozambique, through the MozBio programme, has protected various habitats, including coral reefs and national parks, mobilising thousands of local participants in conservation.
The role of local communities
Local communities are key players in the preservation of wetlands. In Angola, the ecologist Fernanda Samuel, through her work with the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Otchiva, has inspired a generation of young people to get involved in conservation. In Uganda, the initiatives of two local women in the Achwa river basin demonstrate the importance of community-based resource management. In Madagascar, the community led by Justin Rakotomanahira has transformed 56 hectares of arid land into a haven of biodiversity, demonstrating the power of local action.
Protecting wetlands is essential to halting the loss of biodiversity in Africa. Efforts must be concerted, involving governments, NGOs, international institutions and above all local communities. Local initiatives, supported by international frameworks such as the Convention on Wetlands, show that collaboration at all levels can reverse destructive trends and preserve the continent’s natural heritage.
Musonda Mumba, with more than 25 years’ experience in environmental management, stresses the need for adaptive governance and the promotion of local knowledge. She believes that close collaboration between local experts, government authorities and international organisations is crucial to the sustainable management and protection of wetlands.
Fanta Mabo
« Saving Africa’s wetlands: a crucial battle for biodiversity »
Faced with the rapid loss of biodiversity in Africa, the protection of wetlands is emerging as a key priority. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands, calls for international and local collaboration to preserve these vital ecosystems. From the Gambia to Mozambique, inspiring initiatives are showing the way towards sustainable and participatory management, which is vital for the ecological future of the continent.
Le Tribunal spécial de Libreville ouvrira le 31 mai 2024, une audience correctionnelle pour juger plusieurs individus impliqués dans un réseau international de trafic d’ivoire reliant le Gabon, le Cameroun et le Nigeria. Retour sur une affaire complexe qui met en lumière les défis de la lutte contre le braconnage en Afrique centrale.
L’affaire de trafic international d’ivoire, qui a secoué plusieurs pays d’Afrique centrale, connaîtra un tournant décisif avec l’ouverture d’une audience correctionnelle au Tribunal spécial de Libreville le 31 mai 2024. Il y a dix mois, des arrestations majeures ont eu lieu à Lambaréné et Makokou, orchestrées par les Antennes provinciales de la Police Judiciaire, les Directions provinciales des Eaux et Forêts, et la Direction de la lutte contre le braconnage, avec le soutien de l’ONG Conservation Justice.
Les principaux accusés
Parmi les personnes arrêtées figurent Ngangni Ibrahim Gaël, Evouna Guy Bertrand, et Tonga Assouman, accompagnés de sept autres présumés complices. Ces individus sont soupçonnés d’être des membres clés d’un réseau sophistiqué de trafic d’ivoire opérant entre le Gabon, le Cameroun et le Nigeria. L’affaire a pris une dimension internationale avec l’arrestation, en février 2024, de Mohamadou Ibrahim au Nigeria, présenté comme le cerveau de ce réseau.
Mohamadou Ibrahim, déjà condamné au Cameroun en 2020 pour possession de 600 kilogrammes d’ivoire, avait été libéré après seulement quatre mois de prison. En août 2023, les arrestations de Lambaréné et Makokou ont révélé l’ampleur du réseau : 21 défenses d’éléphants et 4 morceaux d’ivoire, totalisant 131 kilogrammes, ont été saisis, ainsi que des munitions. Mohamadou Ibrahim a été arrêté à Mfum, Nigeria, avec 52 défenses d’ivoire pesant près de 200 kilogrammes, un pistolet et des munitions.
Les autorités gabonaises ont découvert que ce réseau utilisait des véhicules modifiés avec des compartiments secrets pour transporter l’ivoire. Les régions du Moyen-Ogooué, de l’Ogooué-Ivindo, de la Nyanga, de la Ngounié, du Haut-Ogooué, du Woleu-Ntem et de l’Estuaire étaient particulièrement touchées par ces activités illégales.
Les prévenus encourent une peine pouvant aller jusqu’à 10 ans d’emprisonnement selon les articles 390 et 396 du Code pénal gabonais. La gravité des accusations, soutenues par des preuves de participation à une bande organisée, pourrait doubler ces peines.
Défis internationaux
L’arrestation de Mohamadou Ibrahim au Nigeria met en lumière les enjeux de la coopération transfrontalière dans la lutte contre le trafic d’ivoire. Il est à espérer que les autorités nigérianes seront plus sévères dans leurs condamnations pour dissuader de futures infractions.
Ce procès à Libreville pourrait marquer un tournant dans la lutte contre le trafic d’ivoire en Afrique centrale. La justice gabonaise, ainsi que celles du Cameroun et du Nigeria, sont appelées à prendre des mesures décisives pour stopper ce commerce illégal et protéger les éléphants menacés par le braconnage.
Boris Ngounou
TRAFIC D’IVOIRE : ouverture d’un Procès Historique à Libreville
Le 31 mai 2024, le Tribunal spécial de Libreville ouvrira une audience correctionnelle pour juger plusieurs individus impliqués dans un réseau international de trafic d’ivoire reliant le Gabon, le Cameroun et le Nigeria. Retour sur une affaire complexe qui met en lumière les défis de la lutte contre le braconnage en Afrique centrale.
As drought ravages southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is launching an unprecedented appeal for $5.5 billion to help more than 61 million people affected by the crisis. This initiative, launched by the President of Angola and Chairman of SADC, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, is aimed at mitigating the devastating effects of the drought and floods affecting the region.
The exceptional drought affecting southern Africa has reached alarming proportions, with record temperatures caused by the El Niño climatic phenomenon. Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe have already declared a state of national disaster, while harvests are at an all-time low, threatening the food security of millions of people.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), nearly 16 million people are suffering from hunger, while half of the region’s staple maize crop has been lost. In addition, low water levels in hydraulic dams are causing electricity shortages, seriously affecting economic sectors such as mining.
In response to this humanitarian crisis, SADC has launched an appeal for $5.5 billion to support the affected populations. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has pledged $33 million, while the FAO has pledged $10 million.
This initiative, developed in collaboration with regional and international partners, aims to strengthen the national resources of affected Member States and mobilise additional funds to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable populations.
The climate crisis in southern Africa underlines the urgency of taking action to mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen the resilience of the populations most affected. SADC’s call for funds is an important step in this direction, but collective and coordinated action on a global scale is needed to address this growing crisis and protect vulnerable populations from its devastating effects.
Fanta Mabo
SADC seeks $5.5 billion for drought resilience in Southern Africa
As drought ravages southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is launching an unprecedented appeal for $5.5 billion to help more than 61 million people affected by the crisis. This initiative, launched by the President of Angola and Chairman of SADC, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, is aimed at mitigating the devastating effects of the drought and floods affecting the region.