Central Africa’s political leaders have signed a treaty aimed at protecting the African rainforest.

Leaders attending the second Central African Heads of State Forest Summit in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, from 4-5 February 2005, adopted a plan to protect the African rainforest. The treaty, which is the first regional conservation agreement of its kind in Africa, establishes trust funds to ensure sustained funding for the agreements implementation on the ground.
The Forest Summit, which sought to coordinate local and global efforts to preserve Africa’s rainforests, was attended by leaders of seven Central African countries—Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo. French President Jacques Chirac was also present, as were African and Western logging companies.
The signatories to the new treaty are also expected to create a certification system for tropical wood. Commenting on the deal, environmental organization Greenpeace expressed doubt that the pledges made in Brazzaville would be followed by actions. A spokesperson said Greenpeace intended to “intensify its campaign in the coming months to get countries of the G8 and European Union to move from declarations to action and to intensify efforts to promote transparency, fight corruption and clean up the African timber trade.” 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai of Kenya has agreed to be the goodwill ambassador for the protection of the forests of the Congo basin, and will seek ways to curb illegal logging and the illegal trade in bushmeat.
Links to further information
African Treaty to Protect Forest, BBC News, 5 February
New Commitments Needed to Save the Congo Basin’s Forests, WWF press release, 3 February
Africa’s Rainforest Depend on Cutting Out Corruption, Greenpeace press release, 5 February