12 November 2014: The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) has released the outcomes of a series of workshops on protected areas in Central Africa. The workshops form part of the EU funded BIOPAMA project, which supports capacity development under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Overall, the meetings heard feedback from project participants with regard to the BIOPAMA strategy and the plan for its implementation. The consultation workshop focused on data collection, interpreting and using information, and achieving project sustainability. Discussions during the workshop emphasized the importance of buy-in among governments and other participating organizations, capacity building for those responsible for data management, and the clear assignment of tasks and responsibilities for implementation.

In addition to the consultation workshop, a launch event was held for the Central and West Africa protected areas and biodiversity observatory. The event focused on how the observatory could be used by different stakeholders and contribute to the overall BIOPAMA objective of establishing a network of observatories across African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The workshops were held the 11-14 October, 2014 in Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo. [CBFP Press Release] [CBFP Press Release] [Publication: Atelier sur le developpement des capacites pour la gestion des Aires Protegees et de la Biodiversite] [BIOPAMA Website]