NESDA's MONTHLY NEWSLETTER - ISSUE #29 - MAY'96.

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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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1. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN OF ZAIRE

2. MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON HUMID CENTRAL AFRICA FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

3. IIED CALL FOR INFO ON COMMUNITY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

4. CREATION OF A NETWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS IN AFRICA

5. THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (AFDB) ORGANIZES WORKSHOP ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVE STAFF.

6. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF THE WORLD BANK ORGANIZED A TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR TRAINERS ON POLITICAL ECONOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

@HEADLINE = NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PLAN OF ZAIRE

The Government of Zaire has decided to prepare a National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) within the framework of the recommendations of the Rio Conference (UNCED, 1992). The Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Tourism has therefore requested the Interministerial Coordination Committee (CIC) in charge of the follow up and implementation activities of the Rio recommendations, to organize working groups of stakeholders and partners including the private sector, the scientific institutions and NGOs.

The governmental has requested support of the United Nations Development Program for (UNDP) for the NEAP elaboration process in the framework of the project called "Support to Strategic Management of the Environment". During ongoing phase going (November 1995 to november 1996), the objective of the Government is to formulate the country's environmental policy and set up priority actions to be undertaken with regard to environmental management in collaboration with the UNDP and other stakholders.

The expected results of the NEAP process are articulated in the following four points:

1. Analysis of the current state of environment and development in Zaire

2. Adoption by the Government of a Declaration of a National Strategy for Environment and Sustainable Development

3. Preparation of a Legislative Framework for the Environment (Code de l'Environnement)

4. Definition of a Priority Action Plan for the Environment

For more information, contact:

Dr. KANKOLONGO MUJIKA Guy Sylvain, Executif Secretary of CIC - Kinshasa, tel 33250 or 33253.

@HEADLINE =IIED PROJECT ON COMMUNITY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

The International Institute fir Environment and Development (IIED) has initiated a three-year research program to investigate and evaluate the environmental, social and economic dimensions and impacts of community wildlife management (CWM) initiatives in developed and developing countries, and examine the conditions which contribute to successful CWM.

IIED is therefore seeking to identify institutions and individuals who are:

-working in the field of community wildlife management;

-involved in research which is relevant to the project we are undertaking;

-involved in, or can provide information about community wildlife management projects and initiatives in particular countries/regions; or

-interested in collaborating with IIED in this program.

If you can help, please get in touch with:

Dr Barry Dalal-Clayton
Director
Environmental Planning Group
International Institute for Environment and Development
3 Endsleigh Street
London WCIH 0DD, UK

Tel: 44 (0) 171 388 2117
Fax: 44 (0) 171 388 2826
E-mail: iiedwildlife@gn.apc.org or EEIIED@aol.com

@HEADLINE CREATION OF THE NETWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS IN AFRICA

A Network for Environmental Economics in Africa (RAFEEN is the French acronym) has been created during the last World Bank's EDI training workshop for trainers organized in Washington last May.

The objectives of the Network among others, are the following:

- to strengthen, economic analysis, research, training and information management capacities in the field of sustainable development;

- to increase technical cooperation and experience sharing among experts from different countries.

- to develop and disseminate information on environmental economics in Africa.

The members of the Network commented and adopted the legal documents which have been prepared for the Network by NESDA and NEAP-CI. A new bureau was elected. The members of the new Network expect to benefit from NESDA's experience in "networking" and management of the environment and natural resources in Africa.

Most of the NEAPs in Africa have identified the lack of economic analysis as a weakness during the preparatory process. It is therefore hoped that the creation of the Network, which will bring together practioners in the subject area, will increase the importance of environmental economics in the Africa region.

Information on the Association can be obtained from:

Dr. Kone Tiekoura
RAFEEN
Excecutif Secretary
08 BP 9 Abidjan
Cote d'Ivoire
Tel: 225. 44 41 44
Fax: 225. 44 68 11
or Abou Bamba of NESDA

email:bambaa@nesda.org

MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON HUMID CENTRAL AFRICA FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

A Conference on Humid Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa was organized in Brazaville by the Government of Congo in collaboration with IUCN, OAB, ECOFAC, CIRAD-Foret and UNESCO from Mai 28-31, 1996.

The objectives of the conference were among others, as follows:

. to initiate at the subregional level a discussion on sustainable management of tropical forest in Central Africa, by bringing together politicians, technicians and NGOs.

. to facilitate the comprehension of international regulatory instruments for conservation (e.g: chapter #11 of Agenda 21 and the Convention on Biodiversity).

. To promote the establishment of a framework for discussion and information sharing among subregional countries in order to harmonize the different national policies of forestry development.

. To sensitise governments, parliaments, civil society, etc...on the ecological, economical and cultural importance of forests in Central Africa.

More than 100 participants attended the conference and four working groups were established on the following themes;

. sustainable management of forestry resources policies and strategies;

. institutional aspects and the role of NGOs

. resources raising for a sustainable development

. subregional and international cooperation

The participants adopted the Declaration of Brazaville, constituting the core of a subregional cooperation in forestry management. Ministers in charge of the management of humid forest ecosystems of all Central African countries (expect CAR) attended the Conference.

Working groups reports and a copy of the Declaration are available at NESDA Secretariat for consultation.

@HEADLINE =THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (AFDB) ORGANIZES WORKSHOP ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVE STAFF.

AfDB organized on June 3, 1996, a "Senior Executif Seminar" on "Environment and Sustainable Development".

This seminar was organized in the framework of AfDB's "Institutional Strengthening Program for Environmental Management" (ISPEM). ISPM, funded by USAID has been devised to: "increase the number and amount of environmentally sound loans approved by AfDB annually by enhancing environmental and management skills at all levels and providing technical assistance for the development of environmental guidelines and an Environmental Resource Center (ECR).

The goals of the seminar, as stated by the terms of reference of the program, were to :

"Demonstrate..the connection between the three elements of sustainable development":

- economic growth,

- poverty reduction, and

- environmental protection.

"Increase participants' understanding of the relationships between the Bank's lending policies and development goals."

"Illustrate the potential positive and negative impacts of specific projects on environmental quality"

Participants at the seminar were; Executive Directors, Senior Executive staff, and representatives of the Board of Governors.

After this seminar, ISPEM will provide other seminars for department directors and sector specialists of AfDB, as well as US-based short-term training for selected bank staff, and other On-The-Job Training (OJT) facilities as part of the Bank's environmental activities

@HEADLINE =THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF THE WORLD BANK ORGANIZED A TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR TRAINERS ON POLITICAL ECNOMICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

The objective of this two-week training workshop which brought together about thirty (30) participants from more than 10 francophone African countries, was to focus on the important links which exist between macro-economics, sectoral and environmental issues, and take into account EIAs in the economic analysis of projects in SSA.

The workshop underlined the macro/micro economic (policies/projects) dimension of environmental economics. Participants were selected from trainers in Universities, Ministries of Environment civil servants, public training centers, NGOs and private firms. Lectures were given by mostly World Bank and US-EPA (Environment Protection Agency) staff. The long list of themes includes the following:

. Africa Long Term Perspectives Plans

. National Accounting Review

. Sectorial Analysis of the environment

. Macro-economic policy and the environment

. Economical instruments

. Economical instruments to set up a good environmental policy,

. NEAPs and Economics

. Political Analysis Matrix (PAM)

. Nexus of Poverty, Economic Development and Environment

. Project Analysis and environmental impacts assessment

. ECOZONE (a software designed to analyze the financial, economic, environmental and social aspects of projects)

. Economic evaluation of environmental damages (contingency analysis, hedonic methods, willingness to pay, cost- benefit analysis).

. International Environmental Law

. addressing the problems in a sustainable development perspective

. defining the setting up of priorities in the NEAPs helping decision- makers, the markets and institutions

. integrating EIAs in the initial phase of the projects cycle

. evaluating the inputs and outputs identified in the EIA but which has not been put a figure on

. computerized analysis of agricultural projects with environmental degradations

. etc...

This training was deigned to provide the participants with new skills in economics which will enable them to train others.

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