The One Forest Summit closed on 2 March 2023 in Libreville, Gabon, leaving many conservationists thirsty. According to them, Central African leaders chose to sidestep the real threats to the Congo Basin forests in favour of a roadmap that risks being as sterile as those drawn up at other international forestry meetings. 

Six Central African heads of state met on 1-2 March 2023 in Gabon to discuss the future of tropical forests, including the Congo Basin. But more than a week after this meeting, questions are being asked about its relevance and effectiveness.

Greenpeace Africa is one of the environmental defenders and indigenous communities living in the Congo Basin who were left thirsty after the summit. « The One Forest Summit was like a parade used by participants to showcase their ‘altruistic’ side while dodging the real threats to the Congo Basin forests, » laments Irene Wabiwa, International Project Manager for the Congo Basin at Greenpeace Africa. The environmental activist points to the silence on the auctioning of 27 oil blocks and three gas blocks in a forest reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo as an example, as well as the case of Cameroon, where multiple agribusinesses such as Camvert and Sudcam are razing thousands of hectares of forest in the south of the country.

For environmentalists, the overriding need for the forests of the Congo Basin is not about funding. « We need this green heart of Africa to be effectively protected and that’s quite simple. We would have expected, for example, that strong and ambitious measures would have been taken to compel non-compliant states to comply with these measures without hesitation, » adds Irène Wabiwa Betoko.

Co-organised by French President Emmanuel Macron and Gabonese President Ali Bongo, the One Forest Summit resulted in the « Libreville Plan ». Among the main provisions of this document are the Positive Conservation Partnerships (PCP). This innovative financing initiative for forest conservation will be endowed with a €100 million fund and a mechanism for remunerating countries that are exemplary in preserving forests and safeguarding their vital carbon and biodiversity stockś, via « biodiversity certificateś.

Fanta Mabo

On the occasion of the 38^th International Women’s Day, Environnementales highlights the opinion of Arlette Soudan-Nonault, in the great concert of climate action. Concerned about an Africa unfairly hit by natural disasters, the Congolese Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin demands openness and concreteness during major international meetings on environmental protection.

A determination that has clearly not wavered. That of mobilising the international community towards real action in the fight against climate change in Africa. Arlette Soudan-Nonault once again took to the stage on 3 March 2023, on the occasion of Africa Environment Day. « If countries continue with their current policies, global warming will not be 1.5 degrees in 2100 but 2.8 degrees, a far cry from the Paris Agreement, and with the near prospect of a total loss of control over our climate destiny, » warned the Congolese Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin.

In this pressing context for the acceleration of the ecological transition, the Minister expresses her frankness every time she calls on developed countries to honour their climate commitments to the countries of the South. In November 2022, during the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 27) in Egypt, the Congolese woman slammed the door on the debates, believing that the speeches of the heads of state were leading nowhere and that the virtues of the Congo Basin were not recognised at their true value. « Africa, which only emits 4% of global emissions, has not been taken into account. We have come to talk about adaptation, we have come to talk about mitigation, we are good at mitigation, but as a responsible person, we must continue to reconcile mitigation and development, so we must move towards an energy transition with clean energy, so we need financing, » had defended the minister, who is also a Commander of the Congolese Order of Merit.

 From journalist to environmental defender

If Arlette Soudan-Nonault expresses an ecological sensitivity, her freedom of tone for climate justice is certainly due to her professional past. The daughter of a diplomat, she lived and studied in Moscow, Russia, and Paris, France, before embarking on a career as a journalist in Brazzaville, Congo, between 1989 and 1997. At Radio Congo, she presented the news and produced programmes such as « Les stratèges du Look » and « Clin d’œil d’Arlette Soudan-Nonault ». She later became a press attaché at the Presidency of the Republic, before setting up her own communications consultancy.

In addition to this professional ascension, which led her in turn to the high office of Minister of Tourism and Leisure on 30 April 2016 and Minister in charge of the Environment since 22 August 2017, journalism also gave her marriage. Arlette Soudan-Nonault is the wife of French journalist François Soudan, editorial director of Jeune Afrique magazine.

Also the Technical Coordinator of the Congo Basin Climate Commission since August 2017, Arlette Soudan-Nonault is currently at the heart of preparations for two important summits to be held in Brazzaville in June 2023. These are the summit of the world’s three largest basins and the summit on the global decade of afforestation.

Fanta Mabo

Increasing investment in the clean energy sector is one of the twelve recommendations contained in the Niamey Declaration. The document was adopted at the end of the 9^th edition of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (FRADD-9), which was held from 28 February to 3 March 2023 in Niamey, the capital of Niger. The central theme of the three-day event was « accelerating inclusive and green recovery from multiple crises and the integrated and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 ».

The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the UN system and other development partners are called upon to remain mobilised behind African states in the pursuit of local resource-based industrialisation, including the promotion of a mineral value chain for lithium-ion batteries in Africa. This is the main recommendation of the Niamey Declaration, adopted on 2 March 2023 in the Nigerian capital, at the end of the ninth African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (FRADD-9).  

This recommendation is the second of a total of twelve. Its theme is similar to that addressed by the first recommendation, on transformative initiatives favourable to a green revival of economic growth. On this point, the President of Niger called on the developed countries. « Climate change, coupled with demographic dynamics, has created challenges in many African countries that need to be addressed if Africa is to make progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals. Developed countries must play their part in ensuring that African countries have access to climate finance, particularly with regard to the Sahel Climate Fund, » says Mohamed Bazoum.

The Loss and Damage Fund

In addition to issues related to access to water and sanitation, the preservation of biodiversity and the sharing of scientific knowledge, FRADD-9 participants insisted on the respect of international agreements and the implementation of major resolutions in the fight against climate change. This is the case of the Loss and Damage Fund, adopted at COP27 in Egypt. The Niamey declaration states: « Let the efforts undertaken to create a Loss and Damage Fund bear fruit so that resources can be mobilised to compensate for the increasing losses of infrastructure, ecosystems and livelihoods due to extreme climatic phenomena that are severely affecting the continent ».

The 9^th FRADD also calls on the international community to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement and to redouble its efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions so that humanity can continue to live in a stable climate system.

The ninth session of the Forum was held under the theme: « Accelerating Inclusive and Green Recovery from Multiple Crises and the Full and Integrated Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want of the African Union ». This theme is closely linked to the theme of the 2023 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development meeting, namely « Accelerating recovery from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels ». The meeting is being held from Monday 10 July to Wednesday 19 July 2023 in New York, United States of America.

Garama Saratou Rabiou Inoussa, Niger’s Minister of the Environment, Urban Hygiene and Sustainable Development, in her capacity as Chair of FRADD-9, will present the forum’s recommendations at the upcoming global gatherings on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate. In addition to the July meeting in New York, these include the SDG Summit on 19-20 September 2023, the UN General Assembly’s Week of High-Level Segment, COP28 and global, regional and sub-regional fora on the accelerated implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Boris Ngounou