January 2014: The World Bank and the Commission des Forets d’Afrique Centrale (COMIFAC) convened the fourth Steering Committee of the ‘Enhancing institutional capacities on REDD+ for sustainable forest management in the Congo Basin’ project, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

The meeting was held from 9-10 January 2014, in Douala, Cameroon, and considered progress in the achievement of the recommendations from the previous meeting of the Steering Committee, as well as major achievements from the project and funding approval requests.

The meeting concluded that slightly over half of the activities planned for 2013 were completed, noting that a number of such activities took place in the last quarter. Delays in disbursement and the completion of activities were, according to participants, associated with slow engagement of consultants and firms, and limited implementation of contracted activities even when engagement is completed.

Meeting participants recommended: the organization of a regional workshop on the users’ evaluation manual in order to enhance its use; and the prompt recruitment of a technical assistant whose mandate would be to enhance regional coordination on REDD+ among the Congo Basin countries and improve their capacities in the framework of the international negotiations on climate change.

Looking forward, meeting participants called for: better communication between individual countries and the Steering Committee on the engagement of consultants and firms; more transparent reporting on expenditures and achievements measured against planned disbursement; increased frequency of meetings with national coordination teams; and accelerated support for pilot projects. [Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) Press Release] [Publication: Compte Rendu de la Quatrieme Reunion du Comite de Pilotage du Projet REDD+]