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July 9, 2004
French Development Agency, CI Partner
To Promote Conservation and Fight Poverty
Under the three-year agreement, AFD will invest
millions to protect coral reefs in the South Pacific, forests in Africa
and to create protected areas in Madagascar and the Caribbean
Washington, DC - In a sweeping
effort to improve living conditions for some of the world’s poorest communities
through biodiversity conservation projects, the French Development Agency
(AFD) and one of the world’s largest environmental organizations, Conservation
International (CI), signed a three-year agreement today to work in Africa,
the South Pacific and the Caribbean.
Under the deal, the organizations will work together in the forests of the
Congo Basin and Mozambique, protected areas in Madagascar and the Caribbean,
and coral reefs in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Under the joint agreement, AFD recently invested 3 million euros (US$3.6
million) as part of an 8.7-million euro project to help build capacity among
communities in the South Pacific to manage and conserve the region's coral
reefs.
"We're extremely excited about this strong new relationship that is developing
with the AFP on various fronts relating to biodiversity conservation and
sustainable development," said Russell Mittermeier, the president of CI.
"France has within its national territory portions of five hotspots - more
than any other nation. In addition, it is the only European nation among
the 18 Megadiversity countries and one of only three developed nations on
this list."
Hotspots are terrestrial reservoirs of biodiversity wealth, and CI is currently
working to protect 25 of these regions. CI also works closely with the 18
nations that are the richest in biodiversity – called Megadiverse countries
– including France.
From its headquarters in Paris and its 40 field offices, AFD works in more
than 60 nations around the globe focusing on a broad range of development
issues, including education and environmental projects that have a measurable
impact on quality of life.
"The partnership we are establishing between AFD and CI, a major worldwide
foundation, will not only help conserve biodiversity but also the fight
against poverty in France and developing countries," said AFD Director General
Jean-Michel Severino.
Among the joint initiatives, AFD is considering an investment of at least
2-million euros (US$2.5-million) in the Madagascar Protected Areas Trust
Fund, which supports existing protected areas and helps create new ones
on that island nation. In addition, AFD and CI are studying the opportunity
to work with Mozambique and South Africa to help double the size of Kruger
National Park – one of the world's most renowned and oldest wildlife parks,
established in 1898. |