Congo-Brazzaville

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October 1, 2009

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE PRESIDENT CALLS ON U.S. TO SUPPORT FINANCIAL MECHANISM TO PRESERVE THE CONGO BASIN

Sassou-Nguesso: “Our Forests Have International Usefulness, Climate Change Biggest Challenge Humanity Ever Confronted”

WASHINGTON, D.C. (10/01/2009) – President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of Congo urged developed nations to include the fragile Congo Basin ecosystem, which makes up one-quarter of the world’s tropical forests, in climate change talks at the International Conservation Caucus Foundation’s Summit on the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) yesterday.

At the roundtable discussion, Sassou noted his country’s commitment to climate change efforts and thanked the U.S. for their efforts to preserve the basin’s ecosystem. He called for a stronger commitment at the UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen.

“We cannot wait until 2015 or 2020 before implementing anything,” said Sassou-Nguesso. “In New York, President Obama said there is no more time for rhetoric; we have to act.

“Only by standing together in solidarity will we be able to overcome the greatest challenge to mankind.”

As the world’s “second lung,” the Congo Basin contains 26 percent of the world’s rainforests, and its ecology is varied, from rivers and forests to savannas and swamps. With estimates that more than two-thirds of the Congo Basin forest could be lost by 2040, Sassou emphasized the need to prevent deforestation and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the region. The United Nations’ Collaborative Program on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD) – a program designed to create financial value for the carbon stored in forests like the Congo Basin – incents developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

“Continuing to make the forest a perennial activity while preserving it so that it can be a perennial resource is a difficult task and the countries of the Congo Basin have committed themselves to facing this challenge,” said Sassou-Nguesso.

“We hope that the United States will support this action whose goal is to establish a compensation system in relation to the prevention of greenhouse gas emissions. This compensation would be affected to the reduction of poverty and the preservation of biodiversity.”

With the UN’s REDD program in place, financial flows for greenhouse gas emission reductions are expected to reach $30 billion a year, rewarding countries who significantly contribute to carbon reductions, while preserving biodiversity in the basin.

The International Conservation Caucus Foundation hosted the event to discuss the success of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, a program that brings together governmental, nongovernmental, and international organizations. Participants also addressed rising concern over the impact of deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo Basin on climate change.

Also joining President Sassou-Nguesso at the CBFP roundtable were the President of Equatorial Guinea, the President of Sao Tome and Principe and the Prime Minister of the Central African Republic.

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CONTACT: Lisa Mendelson, (202) 777-3561
September 10, 2009

Congo-Brazzaville President Named AU's Lead Climate Change Spokesperson Before UN

BRAZZAVILLE – Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo, has been named the lead spokesperson for the African Union on climate change. The appointment was made at the AU’s Special Summit in Tripoli, Libya last week.

President Sassou will address the United Nations General Assembly on September 22nd on the impact of climate change on Africa and regional efforts to ensure global sustainability. Sassou will also represent the AU in this capacity at the climate change treaty negotiations in Copenhagen in December.

As one of the stewards of the Congo Basin, the world’s second largest rainforest, President Sassou has long been committed to conservation, sustainability and other environmental protection measures.

Sassou Nguesso is launching a new initiative to safeguard the Congo Basin from deforestation, one which unifies the six countries that make up the Congo Basin region and presents an African solution to climate change. Nearly two million acres of Congo Basin forests disappear every year due to illegal and legal logging, mining, agriculture and the needs of a growing population. The United Nations estimates that more than two thirds of the Congo Basin forest could be lost by 2040.

Earlier this year, the Republic of Congo signed a landmark agreement with the European Union to create new sustainable forest management practices for the country’s forests. The European Forest Institute called the agreement “the culmination of several years of work between the EU, the government of Republic of Congo, and civil societies groups.”

In October 2008, Sassou Nguesso hosted the 6th Global Forum on Sustainable Development in Brazzaville with ten African leaders to outline a broad sustainability action plan. Provisions of the plan include increasing the number of protected areas, better treatment and respect for indigenous populations and greater care for forests.

The Congolese government also plays a significant role in wildlife conservation, and has been particularly key to protecting endangered western lowland gorillas. Last summer, an enclave of 125,000 gorillas was discovered in the north of the Republic of Congo.

In an editorial, the New York Times said the discovery was “extraordinary” and served as “a powerful incentive to create new protected areas to help western lowland gorillas the way other national parks in the Congo Republic have already done.” Dr. Steven Sanderson, head of the Wildlife Conservation Society said, “For the last 17 years we have been working with the government of the Republic of Congo to ensure conservation in the northern part of the country and that seems to be working. But the credit and the joy should be in the government of the Congo and among the citizens of Congo because they’ve really committed to this even in light of a lot of other pressing demands.”

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Contact: Lisa Mendelson, 202-777-3561
July 17, 2009

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE CONFIRMS THE RE-ELECTION OF PRESIDENT DENIS SASSOU-NGUESSO

BRAZZAVILLE – The Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) is pleased to announce the re-election of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso who won 78 percent of the vote this past Sunday, July 12, 2009, according to official election results from the Republic of Congo National Administration. President Sassou-Nguesso was re-elected on his platform “The Road for a Future” which is based on peace, security, national unity and continued reconstruction of the country, good governance, market economy and industrial development. In the coming days, the election results will be submitted to the Constitutional Court for final verification and approval.

“According to international observers, the election was held freely, fairly and peacefully. We look forward to a continued relationship with the United States over the next seven years,” said Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Serge Mombouli.

Officials from the African Union and the 10-nation Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS) who monitored the election told the Agence France-Presse that this year’s poll was "regular, free and transparent" and “took place in a calm and serene atmosphere.”

The runners up in the election include Independent Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou with 7 percent of the vote, Antoine Nicéphore Fylla de Saint-Eudes with 7 percent of the vote, and former Finance Minister Mathias Dzon with 2 percent of the vote.

For more information or to request an interview with Ambassador Mombouli, please contact Lisa Mendelson at lmendelson@clsdc.com or 202-777-3561.

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Contact: Lisa Mendelson, 202-777-3561
lmendelson@clsdc.com
May 11, 2009

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE SIGNS LANDMARK AGREEMENT WITH EU TO COMBAT ILLEGAL TIMBER TRADE

BRAZZAVILLE – On May 9, the Republic of Congo signed an important agreement with the European Union to create new sustainable forest management practices for the country’s forests.

Under the terms of the bilateral Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), Congo will establish a tracking and licensing system for its timber exports to the EU. Once these systems are in place, only properly licensed timber harvested in line with the new regulations will be tradeable in the EU zone.

Congo’s chief representative in the negotiations for the VPA was Henri Djombo, Minister of the Forest Economy. Djombo said of the new agreement, "With a total of 4,674,320 acres of certified forests as of March 2009, Congo has reached the highest echelon of tropical wood producing countries and is becoming a laboratory for sustainable forest management. The conclusion of this agreement will guarantee our country new opportunities in timber markets while participating in reinforcing governance in that sector and illustrating Congo's political commitment to work in that direction."

Discussions about the VPA started in July 2008, with additional rounds in November 2008 and February 2009. Having concluded this past weekend, the negotiations were finalized in record time for an agreement of this scope.

As a major steward of the Congo Basin - the world’s second largest tropical rainforest - the Republic of Congo, led by President Denis Sassou Nguesso, has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to forest preservation.

Nearly two million acres of Congo Basin forests disappear every year due to illegal and legal logging, mining, agriculture and the needs of a growing population. In terms of greenhouse gases, this loss is the equivalent to the emissions of 157 new coal-fired power plants each year. The United Nations estimates that more than two thirds of the Congo Basin forest could be lost by 2040.