Photo( Top) Workshop group photo
( Below) Workshop session.
By Ngalame Elias
A two days Sub-regional conference on forest conversion in the Congo Basin held at Hotel La Falaise in Yaounde August, 18-19, 2026 under the theme “Regional Governance and Cooperation for Forest Conversion in the Congo Basin.”
Organised by Green Development Advocates, GDA, the workshop brought together over 100 participants representatives from five countries of the central African Sub-region(Cameroon,Gabon,Congo, RCA,RDC) drawn from government institutions, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, research institutions, Universities, and development partners’
Opening the session, GDA coordinator, Aristide Chacgom Fokam pointed out the objective was to “promote coordinated solutions for reducing forest conversion and strengthening sustainable forest governance across the Congo Basin region.”
Despite the commitments made by Central African countries in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement, as well as the initiatives led by the Central African Forest Commission, COMIFAC, and the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS, the responses remain fragmented and poorly coordinated in the face of forest conversion challenges, a concept note by GDA stated.
“It’s against this backdrop that the organization of a regional forum represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen consultation between states, harmonize policies, and promote sustainable solutions in the management and conservation of forests in the Congo Basin,” GDA says.
The Yaounde workshop culminated with the celebration of the 15th anniversary of GDA,which the coordinator described as “ Fifteen years of continuous advocacy for a green Congo Basin.”
Photos(top)GDA coordinator, Aristide Chacgom Fokam, Openning the workshop)
( below) Group working session
Homage to GDA’s Founder, Djeukam Robinson
Eulogies were also made in remembrance of Robinson Djeukam, founder of GDA.
On behalf of colleagues and friends, two representatives paid tribute to Djeukam Robinson, the founder of Green Development Advocates (GDA), for his remarkable commitment to environmental protection, community rights, and sustainable development. His vision, courage, and dedication they said have inspired many across the Congo Basin to stand for forests, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities.
“ As GDA celebrates 15 years of impact, we recognize Robinson not only as a founder, but as a committed advocate whose work continues to inspire regional solidarity and action for the protection of our shared forest heritage,” one of them said.
Discussions during the workshop centered on themes like “ the global notion of forest conversion in the Congo Basin Forest” by Prof William Malla, the loss of primary forests in the five countries of the Congo Basin Forest between 2015-2024’ by Duclare Mbongo of the World Resource Institute (WRI)
Participants also examined the situation of forest conversion in different countries of the Congo Basin forest region etc.
In another session represntatives from COMIFAC, OCFAC and the EU drilled participants on, the coherence and harmonization of forestry policies within the Congo Basin,the state of forests in the Central African Sub-region and the contributions of the European union and its EUDR policies with regard to the reduction of forest conversion.
Working Groups
The workshop also had practical sessions where participants divided themselves in three working groups to reflect on what need be done for forest convention to be halted or at least reduced to the minimum.
The composition of the workings groups accordingly, reflected the three groups of representatives at the workshop including civil society, the technical, financial and research partners, and the indigenous people and local communities.
There was also discussions on the finance and economic mechanisms with emphasis on how to ensure long term mobilisation of finances for the preservation of the forests of the Congo Basin. These involved mostly representatives from CAFI, REPALEAC, ECJ/FUND. GGF and FPC/CLUA.
It should be recalled that Green Development Advocates (GDA) is a Cameroonian Civil Society Organization (CSO), created by a multidisciplinary group of former NGO executives working in the same sector of activity.
Legalized on June 30, 2011,the group works for development that respects social and environmental requirements.
It amongst other goals promote good environmental governance, integrate the consideration of the environment, making available to the population legal assistance, strengthen the capacities of actors, provide support to indigenous peoples, inform, educate and raise awareness.
Workshop deliberations
