THE AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSLETTER
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HTTP://WWW.RRI.ORG/NESDA
This electronic newsletter is a publication of the Network
for Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa
(NESDA). Contributions, suggestions, comments and articles
should be addressed to Abou Bamba, Editor, NESDA, BP 95,
Guichet Annexe BAD, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, tel: 225. 20 52
23, fax: 225. 20 59 22, email: bambaa@nesda.org
Material contained in this newsletter may be freely
reproduced provided that acknowledgement of the source is
made. Subjects of special interest to our readers,
information ongoing and upcoming events and conferences on
ESD in SSA, letters to the editor or any other
contributions are welcomed.
This newsletter is also available in French.
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In this issue:
1. NESDA's ROSTER OF AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS
2. NEAP-Togo
3. NEAP-CI
4. AFAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
5. GAMBIA HAS LAUNCHED AN ENVIRONMENTAL NEWSLETTER
6. NESDA INTERNET CONNECTIVITY PROGRAMME
7. NESDA'S CHAPTERS
8. SUSTAINABLE FINANCING INITIATIVE
9. EIS STEERING GROUP MEETING IN CAMBRIDGE, UK.
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NESDA's ROSTER OF AFRICAN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS
The Network for Environment and Sustainable Development is
updating its roster of environmental experts. This roster
will allow NESDA to monitor membership and have a current
knowledge of individual/institutional environmental
expertise available within the continent. New members can
obtain a registration form from the Secretariat of NESDA.
The form should be available on the Internet very soon, it
contains the following information about the expert/members;
first name, last name, date of birth, nationality, address,
current occupation, phone and fax numbers, country, NESDA
affiliation date, note (this component includes: education,
publications, outstanding achievements in ESD), years of
experience, working language(s), country(ies) experience,
association(s) affiliated to and area of specialization. As
a result, a more functional database of members/experts was
produced and now facilitates the management/coordination of
membership.
We would like first of all thank all those who have
submitteds their personal data to us. A register of member
is available for distribution.
We will like to maintain gender and linguistic balance in
our membership and therefore, may we urge women and
francophone experts to register now.
A registration form and a model to help you to fill it
are enclosed with this newsletter.
For more info abou this data base, contact:
Abou Bamba of NESDA
email: bambaa@:nesda.org
NEAP-Togo
The NEAP process in Togo has been revived and in response
to a request by a NEAP-Togo Secretariat, NESDA has sent an
expert to assist the NEAP Coordination Unit to identifying
and elaborating the specific studies, strategies and
programmes required to move the process foreward.
The mission was undertaken by a founding membe of NESDA
who is also the Director General of his country's Agency
for the Environment. This initiative from NESDA is in
line with the network's mission to assist African
governments and societies pursue environmentally
sustainable policies.
For more info on Togo-NEAP
Mr. M.T. GNROFOUN
National Coordinator
BP 4825
Lome, Togo
T. +228. 21 86 90
F. +228. 21 78 56
NEAP-CI
NEAP-Cote d'Ivoire prepares for its donors roundtable.
The Government of Cote d'Ivoire is organizing a donors'
roundtable from 15-17 October to sollicit funding for the
implementation of the NEAP-CI.
An active participation from multilateral and bilateral
donors is expected. NESDA has assisted the NEAP
Secretariat in preparing for the roundtable.
For more info, contact:
Cellule de Coordination du PNAE
01 BP 9 Abidjan 08
Cote d'Ivoire
T.+225 44 41 44
F.+225 44 68 11
AFAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
The African Forestry Action Network, an informal
Network of NGOs with the aim of promoting the
conservation of forest and the sustainable use of
forest and forestry resources for the well being of
population has held its General Assembly Meeting
from 4-11 August 1996 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
More than 50 participants form Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, CAR, CONGO, RCI, Ghana, Gabon, Kenya,
Liberia, Nigeria and Zaire attended the meeting.
This meeting offered the participants an opportunity
to review the Network activities, adopt the statutes
and bylaws and the working program for the next two
years.
Contact:
M. Djomo Louis
Coordinator
B.P. 2503 Yaounde
Cameroon
T. +237. 23 97 02
F. +237. 23 97 01
GAMBIA HAS LAUNCHED AN ENVIRONMENTAL
NEWSLETTER
The National Environmental Agency of Gambia
has published the first issue of an
environmental newsletter called "Earth
News". This informative bulletin on
environmental activities in Gambia can be
obtained from the National Environmental
Agency of Gambia. NESDA encourages all
countries to publish their own
environmental newletters as a means to
foster public awareness of environmental
issues as well as to inform the
international community of
national and local initiatives being developped for
environmental management.
Any information on the newsletter can be obtained
from: NEA Editorial Board
5, Fitzgerald Street
P.O. Box 48
Banjul, The Gambia
T. +220. 22 80 56
INTERNET CONNECTIVITY
NESDA facilitates Internet connection for its
members.
The Network for Environment and Sustainable
Development in Africa continues to respond to members
request to assist them in their connectivity
programs.
This program to develop its communication and
information activities enables NESDA to have an easy
and inexpensive access to its members and thereby
enhances NESDA's information dissemination and
networking functions. With funds provided by DANIDA,
NESDA has so far provided assistance to connect the
following institutions which NESDA focal points are
located:
1. CONAGESE, Conseil National pour la Gestion de
l'Environnement of Burkina Faso, this institution is
in charge of the Burkinabe NEAP and can be reached at
louist@pngim.conagese.bf
2. NES, National Environment Secretariat of Lesotho,
also in charge of the NEAP process can be reached at'
natenv@letoff.co.za'
3. CONSERE, Conseil National pour l'Environnement et
les Ressources Naturelles of Senegal, also in charge
of the NEAP can be reached at the following email
address: `consere@sonatel.senet.net'.
4. FEDA,
Friends of Environment and Development Association,
an Egyptian NGO supported by UNDP at
feda@idsc.gov.eg,
5. ABE, Agence Beninoise pour l'Environnement, in
charge of the implementation of the NEAP.
Mali and Mauritius are in the pipeline for
connection followed by CAR, Ethiopia, Uganda,
Malawi and Kenya will be connected soon.
NESDA'S CHAPTERS
In order to empower the members in the various
countries and at the same time solicit their support
for and commitment to the mission of NESDA, it has
been deemed important and advisable to create NESDA
Chapters in the various countries there are active
network members. National Chapters are not intended
to create additional bureaucratic burden on the
network's structure.
They are to be encouraged to adopt a lean but
efficient structure, with only the minimum
bureaucracy. In order to ensure success and
sustainability, Ncs must direct their activities at
objectives which they consider their priorities
within the overall framework of NESDA's programmes.
Ghana's Chapter of NESDA is the first of a series of
National Chapters which are to be launched before
the end of October. The following is a brief report
on the launching of the Ghana NC.
` A one-day workshop for the inauguration of Ghana's
Chapter of NESDA was held on 25th July 1996. It was
attended by 45 participants from different
professional background. Gender issue was considered,
women represent about 10% of participants and we
expect that it will increase. After a brief welcome
address, the liaison officer of Ghana's Chapter,
Okeyeame AmpaduAgyei, made a presentation of the
following:
(I) functions of NESDA,
(ii) current
activities and achievements of NESDA,
(iii) future
programmes and perspectives of NESDA and
(iv) the
role of National Chapters.
The pressentation was followed by general discussions
and question-time. The main areas on which members
sought clarification and further information were:
(I) the focus of NESDA's activities,
(ii) the
structure of NESDA,
(iii) the membership
qualifications, categories and dues
(iv) the role of
the individual member and
(v) relationship between
NESDA's Secretariat and NESDA Ghana Chapter. After
exhaustive discussions, members were divided in
different working groups.
The summary of group discussions and the proceedings
of the workshop are available at NESDA Secretariat.
SUSTAINABLE FINANCING INITIATIVE
Launched at a "Sustainable Financing Workshop" which
was sponsored by ECDMP, SPAAR, MDS and USAID, and
held in Maastricht The Netherlands, September 12-15,
1995, the Sustainable Financing Initiative (SFI)
responds to trends that threaten African societies to
exercice effective stewardship over their resources.
These trends include:
(I) the likelihood of
substantial declines in foreign aid;
(ii) the growth
of the private sector as a major source of investment
in the development of natural resources;
(iii)
the recognition by senior African policy makers that
national security lies in finding local solutions to
local problems.
In light of these trends, African institutions
responsible for Agricultural Research and Natural
Resource Management (AR/NRM) issues now place a major
priority on finding new ways to fund their programs.
The SFI helps these agencies to research innovative
funding solutions and to develop cohesive, well-
managed programs that can attract donors and program
partners.
Among these African institutions with concern for
AR/NRM issues is the Network for Environment and
Sustainable Development in Africa (NESDA).
NESDA is currently being provided with technical
assistance to develop its own program to establish
a Funds for Environment and Sustainable
Development in Africa (FESDA).
For more info:
Mr. Moctar Toure
SPAAR Secretariat
c/o the World Bank
1818 H Street, N.W
Washington, D.C. 20433
T. 202. 473-9008
F. 202. 473 8231
Email:mtoure@worldbank.org
EIS STEERING GROUP MEETING IN CAMBRIDGE, UK.
The tenth Advisory Committee (Steering Group) meeting
of the Program on Environment Information Systems
(EIS) in sub-Saharan Africa, was held at the World
Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in Cambridge,
UK, July 22-23, 1996. The main objective of the
meeting was to agree on the structure of the twelve
(12) working groups, review the arrangements and
logistics for the next Advisory Committee meeting
in Madagascar, March 17-22, 1997. The following is a
brief summary of the recommendations and the progress
reports of the working groups:
1. Working Groups
The convenors and co-convenors are responsible
for managing their working groups which
include the
following:
=FA Set up working group membership
=FA Develop work program focused on meeting needs
of
African countries and regional organisations at
the policy level
=FA Fund-raising
=FA Production of relevant publications
=FA Co-ordination will be done by the
Secretariat,
particularly in fund-raising, publications
and
preparation for annual meetings.
=FA Although each working group has a core
membership,
inputs are required from all the members of the
advisory committee to get maximum value.
2. Madagascar Meeting
Venue and deadline: They should be known and set
by August 15, 1996. If for some reasons the meeting
is not possible in Madagascar, Mauritius will be
chosen as a venue.
Content: A program and agenda will be finalised by
the Secretariat, the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman
by the end of August 1996.
Funding of Participants: Participants will
directly approach donors for funding to attend
EIS Advisory Committee meetings. The EIS Secretariat
will not provide funding.
3. AFRICAGIS
The next EIS Advisory Committee meeting in Madagascar
March 17-22, 1996 - will be held separately
from AFRICAGIS'96. However, it was suggested
that the
coordination of the two meetings benefit both
programs. The committee agreed that the 1999 EIS
Advisory Committee meeting and AFRICAGIS'99 should
merge. The agenda and program will be compiled
jointly.
The working groups are as follows:
WG1: DATA STANDARDS AND HARMONISATION
WG2 :EIS BEST PRACTICES
WG3: THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NGO's
AND PARASTATALS IN EIS
WG4: ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS AND GIS
WG5: EDUCATION AND TRAINING
WG6: EIS AND URBAN ISSUES
WG7: LINKAGES WITH OTHER INITIATIVES
WG8: TELEMATICS AND EIS
WG9: COMMUNITY AND LOCAL LEVELS
WG10: IDENTIFICATION OF PRIORITIES
WG11: CAPACITY BUILDING IN AFRICAN
INSTITUTIONS WG12: DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS
AND DECISION MAKING
For more info, contact:
Koffi Kouakou
EIS Secretariat
Email: kkouakou@csir.co.za
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