IUCN’s major role in the IR2 component on “natural resources governance strengthened” is to monitor policy, legislative and regulatory concerns and to develop tools to address these problems across the country and all 12 landscapes. To attain this objective, the CARPE/IUCN Program manages the CARPE Focal Point staff to support a strong NRM governance program at country and Congo basin-wide level; designs and manages a small grant portfolio at the country and regional levels through Focal Points and related means; and serves as a cross cutting leader to assimilate, coordinate, capitalize, package and disseminate a lessons learned program developed by CARPE and its partners both at the landscape and country-wide levels.

 
About one year after the First All Focal Point Strategic Planning Workshop, CARPE/USAID commissioned an evaluation of the IR2 component in early 2009. The objective of the evaluation was to come out with an objective assessment of performance, weaknesses and strengths of the IR2 component of the CARPE program based on the outcomes of phase 2b in Gabon, Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo as well as making recommendations and proposals with a view to improving and/or supporting the efficacy and efficiency of CARPE interventions and future assistance in the sub-region in the context of an ever-changing natural resource governance policy environment. 
 
At present, the implementation of the recommendation of the February 2006 evaluation mission is one of the Program’s top priorities because this will not only improve program implementation, but will also ensure the conception, development and implementation of a post 2011 strategy by Focal Points and other partners. 
 
Also, judging that after a lot of exciting experiences and lessons learned that were generated through program implementation after the Kinshasa workshop, Focal FPs have been confronted with new opportunities, challenges and constraints that will definitely positively or negatively influence any future activities or strategy. We are thinking of important emerging initiatives like climate change, REDD, etc. It therefore becomes very incumbent for us to take some time off and have a balance sheet of the implementation of activities for the past one and a half year or so, while at the same time come out with workable strategies to capitalize on our successes, address some of our difficulties/challenges and better plan for post 2011, notably by appropriating the results of CARPE within IUCN. 
 
This is why we find it very important and timely to organize this workshop in Douala, Republic of Cameroon from October 27 to 29, 2009. 
 
2. OJECTIVES
 
Overall Objective
 
The main objective of the workshop is to facilitate the implementation of CARPE’s strategic objective in Central Africa which is to reduce the rate of forest degradation and loss of biodiversity through increase local, national and regional management capacity. 
 
Specific Objectives
 
Specific objectives:
  1. Evaluate the implementation of activities of the program since the First All Focal Point Strategic Planning Workshop in February 2008;
  2. Discuss strategies to implement the recommendations of the March 2009 IR2 Evaluation Mission ; 
  3. Discuss and understand IUCN’s efforts to internalize CARPE’s activities within its overall strategy to ensure ownership and proper preparation of post 2011;
  4. Train Focal Points on IUCN financial management rules and regulations (Internal control-ICS) within the framework of the CARPE Phase 2b Program;
Discuss, understand and design a communication strategy for the program.
 
3. EXPECTED OUTPUT
 
We have the following expected outputs.
  • The implementation of activities of the program since the First All Focal Point Strategic Planning Workshop (February 2008) is evaluated;
  • Strategies to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the March 2009 IR2 Evaluation Mission are discussed; 
  • IUCN’s efforts to internalize CARPE’s activities within its overall strategy to ensure ownership and better preparation for post 2011 are discussed and understood;
  • Focal Points are trained on IUCN financial management rules and regulations (notably the Internal Control System (ICS)) within the framework of the CARPE Phase 2b Program;
  • A communication strategy for the program is discussed, understood and designed.
 
4. METHODOLOGY
 
Discussions will be done in plenary and breakout working sessions. It will be moderated by the Regional Program Manager, CARPE/IUCN.
 
5. DATE AND PLACE OF THE MEETING
 
The meeting will be held on October 27-29, 2009 in Douala, Republic of Cameroon.
 
6. ORGANISERS
 
The meeting is organised by CARPE/IUCN Regional Program, IUCN Yaoundé, Cameroon.
 
7. PARTICIPANTS
 
IUCN:
Cléto NDIKUMAGENGE, Regional Forest Coordinator for Central and West Africa, IUCN PACO 
Leonard USONGO, Head, IUCN Cameroon Program
Jean Pierre AMAYENE, Assistant Accountant, IUCN Cameroon Program
Jérôme GUEFACK, Regional IT Coordinator for Central and West Africa, IUCN PACO 
Marcelin AGNAGNA, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point RoC
Antoine Justin EYEBE, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point Cameroon
Moïse OSODU OMBA, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point DRC
Constant ALLOGO OBAME, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point Gabon 
Diosdado OBIANG MBOMIO NFONO, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point Equatorial Guinea
Paul DOKO, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point CAR
José De MENEZES, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point Sao Tomé and Principe
Savin  SABUMUKIZA, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point Burundi
Thaddée  HABIYAMBERE, CARPE/IUCN Focal Point Rwanda
Kenneth ANGU ANGU, CARPE/IUCN Regional Program Manager
 
USAID-CARPE
Nicodème TCHAMOU, CTO Cross-Cutting Themes (IUCN and WRI) and Regional Coordinator CARPE/USAID