See also: Congo

the forest of the Basin of Congo in central Africa is the second tropical main forest after the Amazon forest. It covers more than two million km ².

Because of the overexploitation of wood, in particular by the foreign companies, deforestation is important. The damage is ecological with a reduction in the biodiversity but the consequences are also economic in the long run with the loss of financial resources.

In 1999, to Yaounde, a top of the Heads of State of the countries concerned (Cameroun, Central African Republic, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic republic of Congo, Guinea Equatoriale, Chad) launched a better process having to allow a forest stock management by allotting in a more transparent way the concessions and by founding standards allowing regeneration of the forest.

In 2002, at the time of the top of the ground with Johannesburg, was launched a partnership for the basin of Congo gathering the the United States, the France, the States of the area, the backers and ONG. Financial aids were to make it possible to create protection zones covering from 10 to 15% of the solid mass. Anxious to bring an concrete answer with this engagement, Gabon has, on August 30th, 2002, created a network of 13 national parks covering 11,25% of its territory. The advertisement of this initiative had been made by the President of this country, Omar Bongo, on September 4th, 2002 has Johannesbourg.

ONG international of the environment remain very critical, as Greenpeace which claims a moratorium on the opening of new concessions

February 5th 2005, was held with Brazzaville the second top which brought together the Heads of States of the countries concerned. The presidents of Cameroun Paul Biya, of Gabon Omar Bongo Ondimba, Chad Idriss Déby, the Central African Republic François Bozize and of Guinea Equatoriale Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo as well as the French president Jacques Chirac were present. They approved an action plan common and signed a treaty creating a Commission of the forests of central Africa (Comifac) to reinforce the international partnership launched in 2002 in Johannesburg. This treaty was signed by the Congo, the Democratic republic of Congo, the Gabon, the Chad, the Cameroun, the Guinea Equatoriale, the Central African Republic, the Burundi, the Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe. The Angola should join these countries soon. The Heads of State of the countries of the basin of Congo also adopted the principle of a tax on " forest fauna and products exportés" to face the insufficiency of the assistance of the international financial community. However, the question of the financing of the activities of conservation in this under-area remains whole. Certain countries currently explore the ways leading to the creation of fiduciary Funds. But, taking into consideration their legal mode, these mechanisms are not always obvious to set up, heard that they correspond more to Common law with the civil law.

Source

See too

• modes of exploitation of the forests of the Basin of Congo, '', and an article on the top of February 5th, 2005 with Brazzaville

• gate on the natural resources in central Africa ''
• discussion forum on the forests of the Basin of Congo '',