Progress report

November 2009

In the November 2009 Session of the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management and in accordance with the project's most recent progress reports submitted in September 2009, the ITTO Secretariat reported the following:

• Most of the project activities had been completed through the collaboration of project key stakeholders (ministry of forestry and fauna, WWF-CARPO, local authorities, leaders of NGOs and associations operating in the Mengame project sites). However, some transboundary-oriented activities (2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.2.2 and 2.3.1) should be included in the GEF-funded TRIDOM Programme which cover three other protected areas (Dja in Cameroon, Minkebé in Gabon and Odzala in Congo-Brazzaville), in order to ensure the continuity of relevant project outcomes;
• The Executing Agency had been preparing the completion report which is to be submitted shortly, along with the other technical documents to be considered as means of verification of some project outcomes, such as the government decrees for the creation of the gorilla sanctuary; and
• The Executing Agency is preparing a project proposal for the second phase of this project to be submitted to ITTO after the signing by the Government of Cameroon of the decrees officializing the creation of both protected areas which compose the Protected Areas Complex of Mengamé Gorilla Sanctuary and Kom National Park. The approval process of the draft integrated management plan should start after the official creation of that Protected Areas Complex.

The Delegation from Cameroon also informed the Committee that most project activities have been completed and the great delay in submitting the project completion report and final financial audit report, which were due in September 2008 and October 2008, is mainly due to the delay for the signing by the Prime Minister of Cameroon of the decrees regarding the creation of the protected area complex composed of the Mengamé Gorilla Sanctuary and Kom National Park. The Committee was informed that the latest Project Steering Committee meetings made a series of recommendations to be taken into account by the Executing Agency for the adequate completion of the project and for reflection on its future phases. Those recommendations should be revisited for the preparation of any follow-up phase. The Committee took note of that information and urged the Executing Agency to submit those reports as soon as possible in order to allow the Secretariat to report this project as completed during the next Committee Session.

November 2008

In its November 2008 Session, the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management was informed that most project activities have been completed, and the project final technical report and completion report were to be finalized and submitted to the ITTO Secretariat shortly. The Committee took note of that information and asked the Executing Agency to submit those reports as soon as possible in order to allow ITTO Secretariat to report this project as completed during the next Committee Session.

December 2007

In accordance with the project’s two most recent progress reports submitted in March and August 2006, and the Eighth Project Steering Committee meeting held in December 2006, progress in project implementation can be summarized as follows:

- The launching of the validation process of the integrated management plan of the Complex of Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary and Kom National Park at the local level, in Oveng and Mvangane, by the local communities and local authorities in July 2006. The draft integrated management plan was developed with the inputs and findings of consultants reports (multi-resources inventory, socio-economic aspects, guidelines for the management of buffer zones, eco-tourism development, non-timber forest products);

- A draft decree had been prepared by the project team and submitted to the approval of the Prime Minister for the official classifying of the protected area by the Government of Cameroon. The map of the Complex of Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary and Kom National Park, for a surface area of 95,800 hectares in two blocks of 69,020 hectares and 26,780 hectares respectively, was attached to the draft decree. The boundaries of this complex protected area had been demarcated and materialized with local communities living in 34 villages surrounding the protected area. The signing of this decree will officialize the existence of the Complex of Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary and Kom National Park;

- Awareness meetings and sensitization campaigns were conducted on a regular basis with the involvement of eco-guards and villagers on the importance of the protected area to be created shortly and on the need to fight against poaching in the protected area;

- The technical collaboration between the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and the regional Office for Central Africa of WWF has continued to be fruitful for the project implementation. It was suggested to continue that collaboration during the new 12-month extension period needed for the completion of project activities;

- The Eighth Project Steering Committee meeting has reviewed the draft of the management plan of the Complex of Mengame Gorilla Sanctuary and Kom National Park; and

- A 12-month project extension, without additional ITTO funds, has accorded to the Executing Agency in order to complete the project activities and prepare the future involvement in the GEF-funded TRIDOM Programme which includes other protected areas (Dja in Cameroon, Minkebe in Gabon and Odzala in Congo-Brazzaville).