Congo-Basin Indigenous People Project (Feasibility Study on Free, Prior and Informed Consent in Logging Concessions)

Key message: Working with all stakeholders in logging concessions in the Congo Basin, especially pygmies, to improve livelihoods and fulfil FSC certification requirements

Description

The overall goal of the project is to improve the situation of pygmies and other traditional peoples in the Congo basin living in forest concessions (areas attributed to forest companies for logging). This will be achieved by documenting the actual situation in concession areas and by defining the concept of “Free, Prior and Informed Consent” for local and indigenous populations. The project contributes to an improvement of human rights, to sustainable development and to the enhancement of education and health services for the local population.
For logging operations to be certified according to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards, the full participation of local people in forest management decision-making and other aspects of development is required. In areas where forest peoples reject industrial logging, companies need to fully respect such a decision and withdraw from these areas. The concept behind this is known as “Free, Prior and Informed Consent” (FPIC). There is, however, no definition so far as to what FPIC means exactly in the fulfilment of the relevant FSC principles (2, 3 and 4). The project therefore aims to improve participatory processes in logging concessions in the Congo Basin, and to clarify what FPIC means in this context.

Fact sheet

Type: Long-term mandate
Start: 2006 Status: Current
Joint venture with: Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker GfbV

Region: Western and Central Africa

Country: Congo

Working domain: Natural Resource Management

Key topic: Local governance | Strengthening of associations and interest groups | Silviculture and management of natural tropical forests | Collaborative forest management | Poverty targeting

Funding source: Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Staff

Project responsible: Jürgen Blaser

Responsible at Head Office: Jürgen Blaser

Advisors, programme officers: Jane Carter | Jean-Marie Samyn

Associated staff: Claudia Greco

Contact

Address:
Intercooperation
Maulbeerstrasse 10
P.O. Box 6724
CH-3001 Bern

Phone: ++41 31 385 10 10 Fax: ++41 31 385 10 09

E-Mail: foren@intercooperation.ch

Website: www.intercooperation.ch