TerrAfrica Dispute Prevention in Natural Resources Management Projects: TerrAfrica and FCPF

1. TerrAfricaDispute Prevention in Natural Resources Management Projects: TerrAfrica and FCPF Paola AgostiniRegional Coordinator for GEF, FCPF and TerrAfrica, AFTN3 World Bank Oct 9, 2013

2. The TerrAfrica Partnership AU-NPCA 23 African countries Civil Society Orgs UNCCD Secretariat & GM WB AfDB UNEP Bilaterals UNDP FAO Regional Economic Communities IFAD

3. Using its Convening power to prevent dispute • TerrAfrica has used its convening power to: • Bring different parties together • Include minorities into the debate • Provide a forum where SLWM and land issues are discussed • in order to…. • prevent disputes in SLWM projects • This was achieved through TerrAfrica’s work with: • The Alliance of Religions and Conservation • Youth • Media • CSOs

4. I. The Alliance of Religions and Conservation Faith groups are the largest group of civil society initiative Their outreach and support is unprecedented 90 percent of Africa’s population describe themselves as either Christian or Muslim – with 470 million Christians and 234 million Muslims. Through ARC, TerrAfrica reached out to 27 faith groups in Sub Saharan Africa to consult with their own local on what action they should take to protect their environment, their assets and their peace. Movie: African Faith

5. The Alliance of Religions and Conservation Changing hearts & minds for peace building Using women as agents of change

6. II. Bringing Youth into the Debate • African Youth Outreach • Most striking was a Desire to be heard • TerrAfrica encourages youth to debate crucial environmental issues, offer solutions, as well as engage and motivate others

7. II. Bringing Youth into the Debate • Voices4Climate Competition: Sing it. Snap it. Shoot it. Say it. This engage youth to submit photos, videos, music and podcasts about land degradation and local solutions. • TerrAfrica partnered with Connect4Climate to reach 447, 000 Facebook fans • Results: kickstart interactive dialogue amongst African youth and give them a voice.

8. III. The Media at the Center of Dispute Prevention • To increase awareness on SLWM, create a debate on SLWM and get media coverage: • Media SLWM training: African broadcasters trained to sharpen their skills on covering SLWM issues. • Journalists make us a network that get cover the issues, serve as mediators, and support the community in getting the “true” information • Weekly radio program for one year on Coffee and Environment project in Burundi • Weekly broadcast from farmers’ market where coffee growers can get market and price information, voice their concerns and be part of the debate

9. Liberia Forestry 4 C’s Program: Commercial, Conservation, Communities , Carbonand Carbon.

11. Importance of Liberia’s Forests for Growth and Poverty Alleviation • \ • 43% of remaining • Upper Guinea Forest • Biodiversity Hotspot • is in Liberia • before 2004 the Forest • Sector was generating • 7,000 jobs+ NTFP • before 2004 Forest • Sector was generating • 50% of foreign exchange • earnings and 50% of GDP + NTFP

12. Conflict

13. Liberia Forest Initiative (LFI) Partnership of Organizations promoting forest sector reform, in collaboration with FDA Objective: Support the FDA & partners to rehabilitate and reform Liberia’s forest sector LFI Assistance Priorities for FDA Commercial Forestry Financial Management Conservation Community Forest Mgmt. Governance Rule of Law USFS, World Bank, FAO USAID,PWC, US OTA, World Bank CI, IUCN, FFI, World Bank CIFOR, ICRAF USAID, FFI, World Bank, DFID, IUCN ELI, UNEP, GA, UNMIL, World Bank

14. LFI Assistance Phase 1 (2004-2008):Conflict, Commercial Forest, UN sanctions • 2000-2003: Forest Revenues Fuel Conflict • May 2003 – UN sanction on Timber in order to“ensure that government revenues from the Liberian timber industry...are used for the benefit of the Liberian people” • July 2004-Dec 2005- Forest Concession Review • Feb 2006: Presidential Decree N 1- Declares all concessions null and void • April 2006 GEMAP Financial Controller in FDA + SGS Contract for Chain of Custody ( Awarded in Feb 2008) • Sept 2006: New Forestry Law Approved • Oct. 2006: Sanctions lifted unconditionally, due to passage of New Forestry Law • Issues…on concession , social contracts..etc • 2010 Inspection Panel request (no investigation) • Land claims issue • 2012 Moratorium on PUP

15. PHASE II Sanction+ 7 years New Challanges: • Carbon, Community Forestry , Conservation, Land Claims • and Grievance Mechanisms • Promote Conservation and Community Forestry with Benefits to Communities • Promote preparation of REDD with Community Focus • Promote utilization of existing grievance mechanism: • Two tier approach: one at the level of SESA/REDD Coordinators and one at the level of National REDD Technical Working group

16. The Case of Liberia: FCPF and Grievance Mechanisms Principles - Accessibility: It should be accessible to everybody who would like to submit a complaint and should provide assistance to those who face barriers such as language, literacy, awareness, cost, or fear of reprisal. - Predictability: It should offer a clear procedure with time frames for each stage and clarity on the types of results it can and cannot deliver. - Fairness: Its procedures should be widely perceived as fair, especially in terms of access to information and opportunities for meaningful participation in the final decision. - Rights compatibility: Its outcomes should be consistent with applicable national and international standards and should not restrict access to other redress mechanisms. - Transparency: It procedures and outcomes should be transparent enough to meet the public interest concerns at stake. - Capability: It should have the necessary technical, human and financial resources to deal with the issues at stake. - Feedback: It should serve as a means to channel citizen feedback to improve project outcomes for the people.