Yaoundé - The Cameroon National Network of Parliamentarians for the Sustainable Management of the Central African Forest and Humid Ecosystems begins a two-day reflection in Yaounde tomorrow.

Over 50 of Cameroon's Members of Parliament are expected to finalise and adopt the plan of action for the sustainable management of the Central African Forest and Humid Ecosystems during two-day workshop that takes place between 13 and 14 March at the Benedicta Monastery at Mont Fébé in Yaounde. The workshop is organised by the Cameroon National Network of Parliamentarians for the Sustainable Management of the Central African Forest and Humid Ecosystems (REPAS/Cameroon). The network is part of the Central African grouping of Parliamentarians whose aim is to legislate and equally effectively contribute to the sustainable management of the Congo Basin forest ecosystems.

rior to the workshop, the President of REPAS/Cameroon, Hon. Zam Jean Jacques gave a press briefing in Yaounde yesterday, 11 March. He said the workshop coming up on Thursday and Friday will serve as a forum for members of the organisation to adopt their plan of action that covers the current legislative period running from 2007 to 2012. According to Hon. Zam, the new team at the helm of REPAS/Cameroon was put in place on August 2007. The workshop, will equally be a forum to draw a balance sheet of activities for the seventh legislative period of the National Assembly. Members of REPAS/Cameroon will develop an approach of putting in place a National Forum that will bring together NGOs, administration, donors, development partners, private sector, civil society and parliamentarians. They will not only adopt their plan of action but will more importantly enable it to match with the sub-regional plan of action. After the workshop, the structures of REPAS/Cameroon will be expected to go operational. Cameroon's contribution to the REPAS sub-regional workshop slated for Yaounde between 01 and 02 of April 2008 will also be finalised at the workshop.

Also present at the press briefing was the Central African Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bihini Won Wa Musiti. He joined Hon. Zam to stress the leading role of Members of Parliament in promoting sustainable forest use considering that they as representatives of the grassroots population, know their aspirations and the best ways of enabling them also contribute to sustainable use.

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