New fund will boost data sharing on Congo Basin forests
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Researchers measuring a tree in Yoko Forest, DRC
A €6 million fund has been established to help 10 countries in Central Africa set up advanced national forest registries, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced on Thursday.
The countries are part of the Congo Basin, one of the world's largest rainforests, which supports the livelihoods of about 60 million people.
Gerry Adams reports
The Congo Basin Forests Fund will help the countries strengthen cooperation in providing transparent and reliable forestry data and information.
FAO says while deforestation of the Congo Basin is relatively low, threats include unsustainable logging and mining. However, the impact is poorly understood due to lack of up-to-date or correct information.
The forestry project will be jointly managed by the Central Africa Forests Commission and FAO, in close collaboration with the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research.
The countries receiving assistance are: Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda and São Tomé and Principe.
Gerry Adams, United Nations
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