Congo Basin VPA Implementation

Project – Championing Forest Peoples

Rights and Participation (EU-CFPR)

Prof. Philip Dearden – Director

Dr Aurelian Mbzibain - Manager

Background to the action: < 2013• Cameroon signed the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with EU: 6/10/2010• CAR VPA signed the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with EU: 28/11/2011• Strong commitment to improve forest governance: improve transparency and

accountability, participation, fight illegality and related trade:

• Political space - VPA negotiations seen as highly participatory and inclusive (especially NGOs); Clear role for non state actors during negotiation

• Strong mandates for non state actors to play a role in implementation:

• Strong donor support to governments (capacity building, development of traceability systems, independent monitoring) and civil society to play their role…. but

verifying that official governance systems operate in line with national legislation and to push for improvements if needed in the sector

“harvest timber within legally gazetted boundaries, compliance with legal requirements for trade and customs procedures, compliance with requirement's concerning taxes or other payments directly related to timber harvesting and harvesting rights, compliance with legal requirements regarding forest management, and respect of legal tenure or use rights to land”

Pertinence of the action1. Reduction/tightening of the political space – sometimes role of CSOs

contested2. End of independent monitoring contracts – vacuum/gaps in forest oversight3. Socio-political crisis in CAR4. Significant shifts in national economic priorities – emerging economies based

on large scale agricultural developments, large infrastructural developments, pressures on land and forest land and rights of forest dependent communities

5. Loss of momentum on the part of CSOs – struggle to redefine role during VPA Implementation

6. Weak organisational and technical capacities of CSOs to engage and advocate for change

7. Limited understanding of issues by IPs and their roles within VPA implementation

8. Limited opportunities for learning across borders and the region9. Non involvement and engagement of other NSA groups such as academics,

lawmakers and enforcement officers

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Objectives1. Strong inclusive national VPA processes that guide and frame

effective implementation of FLEGT/VPAs in Cameroon and CAR

2. Shared regional experiences on role of CSOs in VPA implementation

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Specific Objective Civil society organisations’ (CSO) and indigenous peoples’ (IP) capacity is built through contributing to development, implementation and monitoring of VPAs

Indicators:1. CSO, forest community and IP proposals for reform submitted to government,

JICs and NMCs integrating rights and governance challenges

2. Increased level of information sharing, communication and feedback between CSOs, forest communities and IP groups to relevant VPA implementation information as set out in VPA

3. Improvement in the level of coordination (vision, strategy, attitudes, processes, actions) amongst national CSO platforms and other stakeholders involved in FLEGT VPA implementation

4. Increased capacities (resources, skills, knowledge and tools) of front- line national front line Steering Committee (SC) platform staff, forest community and IP leaders to engage policy makers in national and regional FLEGT VPA implementation and monitoring debates and discussions

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Expected Results: R1: Concerns of non-state actors, including recognition of the rights of local communities including IPs, integrated into VPA actions

1. Raise local communities and indigenous peoples’ awareness of governance aspects of VPA.

2. Develop mechanisms toward improved representation of communities and indigenous peoples.

3. Support for civil society platforms to play an effective role in VPA implementation.

4. VPA implementation and Rights Training courses.

5. Organisational development courses for national civil society platforms and local partners.

6. CS and community participation in legal, policy and institutional reforms relevant to the rights of forest communities.

7. Legal, organisational and other support to CS to ensure effective participation in legal reform processes and implementation committees.

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Expected Results:

R2. Effective implementation of VPAs, through greater direct input from CSOs to ensure VPAs deliver improved forest governance

1. Facilitate regional communication and experience sharing through African Community Rights Network (2014, 2016), Forest Forum (2015).

2. Support update/revision of curriculum with higher forestry educational institutions

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An empowered civil society, including indigenous peoples and local communities, with the capacity to access and analyse information, to monitor forest governance including forest land use policies, to advocate and to hold governments accountable are key to improve forest and land governance.

This is central to Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)

Donors and Partners

Project budget: € 1.964,083Duration: 30 monthsLocation: Cameroon and Central African Republic

Faire de l’APV un outil au service

des communautés locales et des

forêts

Fern

Raison de notre engagement

• Soutien au plan d’action FLEGT dès son lancement

• APV levier pour améliorer la gouvernance forestière et les droits des communautés

• Partenariats anciens avec OSC clés dans la sous-région

• Expertise et légitimité au niveau européen

• Conviction de la force des coalitions et la complémentarité du plaidoyer au niveau national, régional et européen

Activités : 2 piliers

• Plaidoyer

• Communication

Activités phares: Communication

Vidéo Histoire de FLEGT: Traduite en 11 langues – résumé traduit en 20 langues 3000 visionnage en ANG - FR 400- ES 400

Vidéo “Robinson film”: 100 ANG - 100 FR

Vidéo “How FLEGT is making a difference in CAR” 200 ANG - 100 FR

Publication: “Transparence et APV”1200 téléchargementsANG - 8 downloads FRPowerpoint: 850 vision. ANG - 500 FR

Activités phares: PlaidoyerPlaidoyer au niveau national: - Cameroun: Contribution pro active à l’évaluation du plan d’action FLEGT: publication d’une

note position CFP + échanges avec évaluateur- Notes et Lobby pour la mise en oeuvre de l’Annexe sur la transparence (Cameroun et RCA)- Lobby au Cameroun pour aborder le bois de conversion dans le cadre de l’AP- Publication : rapport sur l’impact des contributions de la SC à l’APV

Plaidoyer au niveau régional - Contribution à l’organisation d’une réunion sous régionale avec la SC et parlementaires- Contribution aux réflexions du PFBC sur l’APV

Plaidoyer au niveau de l’Union européenne: - Présentation à Chatham House - 2 réunions CRN- Solide participation à la semaine FLEGT- Lobby autour de l’évaluation du plan d’action FLEGT- Plusieurs rencontres et échanges avec les Etats membres (Allemagne, Belgique, Danemark,

France, Pays Bas et Royaume Uni) - Dialogue initié avec le service européen pour l’action extérieur (SEAE) et le Secrétariat

Général, et collaboration continue avec la Commission européenne, le Parlement européen et certains députés des Etats membres.

Résultats atteints & preuves

OSC plus fortes, plus influentes et reconnues comme acteurs clés de changement

• Participation acquise des OSC et des communautés dans les processus de gouvernance forestière; Ex: Cameroun: participation OSC maintenue malgré pression

• Pérennisation de dynamique de réseaux grâce aux listes de diffusion et aux plateformes en ligne

• Consolidation du dialogue multi parties prenantes sur l’APV. Ex: Participation à la Semaine FLEGT 2015, semaines CRN 2014 et 2016

• OIE par la société civile reconnue comme importante pour l’amélioration de la gouvernance forestière

• Prise en compte des recommandations des OSC de la sous-région dans l’évaluation du plan d’action FLEGT et les comités conjoints APV

• RCA : mécanisme de représentation directe existe; Reconnaissance par de nouveaux interlocuteurs de la légitimité de la SC/GDRNE en RCA (AFD, PNUD, EFI, ambassade de France, délégation de l’UE).

Résultats atteints & preuves

• Problématique du bois de conversion et conversion des forêts est sur l’agenda de l’UE

• Soutien renouvelé de la communauté internationale à la RCA (discussions sur la reprise du processus APV, Fonds Bêkou et son volet résilience des communautés forestières)

• Amélioration de l’accès à l’information au Cameroun (progrès de mise en œuvre de annexe sur la transparence)

Leçons apprises

1. Plaidoyer et lobby en réseau est le plus efficace et porte des fruits

2. Mise en place de bons canaux de communication est clé pour tout travail de plaidoyer

3. Interaction directe avec membres des plateformes est important pour pouvoiraccompagner une plateforme

Défis

• Contexte politique et international

• Communication fluide avec les partenaires

• Regard sur le budget

• Documenter le progrès et l’impact

• Evaluer des actions de plaidoyer

• Intégration du genre

• Capacité des OSC inégales

Actions prises afin d’assurer la durabilité

• Démarches communes pour la mobilisation de ressourcessupplémentaires

• Documentation des bonnes pratiques en matière de participation aux processus de gouvernance forestière

• Investissement continu dans le réseautage

• Mécanismes de communication, guides de renforcement des capacités, outils utilisables au-delà du projet

• Capitaliser sur les mécanismes de dialogue existants dans le cadre des processus APV, REDD+

Recommendations

• Pérenniser les dynamiques des réseaux à travers les outils existants• Consolider et répliquer les approches et stratégies utilisées dans le

cadre de l’APV et d’autres efforts visant l’amélioration de la gouvernance forestière

• Continuer à faire pression à tous les niveaux à travers le travail en coalition pour consolidation des acquis et répondre aux nouveaux défis (conversion des forêts, modèle de développement non inclusif, initiatives climatiques, etc.).Mettre en place des systèmes d’suivi et d’évaluation efficaces afin d’évaluer le fonctionnement des plateformes, le travail de plaidoyer et la synérgie entre le travail de plaidoyer au niveau national et international

• Impliquer davantage les OSC locales et les futures générations dans les stratégies de plaidoyer

Capacity building and

regional exchanges

CIDT, UK

Capacity building

Target audiences:• 4 national partners• 2 national civil society platforms• IPO leadership• Other non state actors:

Parliamentarians Magistrates Academics, researchers and students Media

• Local and national government agency staff

National partners

Organisational, institutional and technical support

• Financial management systems – management and reporting

• Strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation of interventions

• Project design and resource mobilisation

• Provision of management equipment

Mentoring, coaching and training

National platforms• Two strategic and advocacy plans

• Internal governance systems – internal charters, roles and responsibilities, internal and external communication –mailing lists, website…

• Thematic working groups – gender, forest inventory norms, review of forest code, land use change and timber from forest land etc

• National external independent observers coordination

Specific training subjects: legality assurance systems, REDD+, independent forest, governance of natural resources, advocacy, effective representation, leadership, resource mobilisation

Improving Forest Governance Course Telford, UK: 2014

Improving Forest Governance Course Telford, UK: 2015

Project design and resource mobilisation

Participation and networking

Leadership and effective representation

Independent monitoring

Effective representation Project management

Team management

Other stakeholders

Magistrates

Parliamentarians

Media

Academics and students:

Local and national government staff: Regional delegates MINFOF; ministry of justice, finance controllers, national anti-corruption committees in MINEPDED

FLEGT VPA, REDD+, collaboration between media and CSOs, independent monitoring, role of actors in VPA implementation and enforcement, corruption and strategies, forest land use change issues, university pedagogies, media skills

Community forestry in FLEGT

Forest law enforcement - REPAR

Programme de Sécurisation des Recettes Forestières

(PSRF) – role in FLEGT Implementation

Academic curriculum and university pedagogy

Academic curriculum and university pedagogy

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Training and thematic working groups, CAR

Revision of courses FASA Cameroon

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Revision of courses FASA/EMBEE Cameroon

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Cross border learning and regional

exchanges

National partners

CSO platforms in West and Central Africa

Parliamentarians in West and Central Africa

Media networks in the Congo Basin

Forest sector stakeholders

Regional CSO platforms exchange visit Kribi

Communication and networking

Collaboration between media, CSOs and lawmakers

Forest Governance Forum Cameroon, 2016

Community Rights Network Brussels, 2016

© Fern

© Fern © Fern

© Fern

Results

> 1000 participants on national capacity strengthening events > 300 participants in regional experience sharing and lesson learning

events Increased organisational and technical capacities at different levels –

partners, platforms, IP representatives Vibrant and constructive networks of CSOs actively engaging with

decision and policy makers Improved participation, representation, advocacy and engagement of

CSO platforms, IP, media and law makers in VPA and national forest governance processes

Increase availability of information about forest sector in media Increased opportunities for learning in the region end beyond Improved quality participation of IPs in national processes Strong visibility of EU and DFID through this action

Key lessons

Strategic choice of partners – complementarities and experience

Needs based capacity building – need for selection of participants

Build on the existing dynamics

Capacity building takes time – need to monitor impact and document stories of change

Sustained and reliable funding required

An empowerment approach works – support from the back!

Challenges

• Personnel turn over in partner organisations and platforms

• Intermittent/unsustainable sources of funding for capacity building and organisational strengthening for partners and platforms

• Limited capacities of CSOs to engage and communicate with those they seek to influence –poor packaging of messages etc.

• Limited opportunities for regional learning between actors

Sustainability of the action

• Capacity building as core foundation for organisational and institutional sustainability: skills, competences and capabilities applicable beyond project period

• Production of capacity building packs and guides on a range of thematic areas and available

• Distribution online and through branded USB sticks• More than 300,000 euros generated by partners for follow on projects • Several joint bids and partnerships with partners and other NSAs in

the sub-region – value more than 6 million euros• Training of trainers + lecturers• MoUs with national universities• A wider range of NSAs engaged and interested in forest governance

issues e.g REPAR established forest oversight unit; increased media

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