Transboundary coordination restarts in WWZ landscape

A meeting to reactivate transboundary coordination in the Wologizi-Wonegizi-Ziama (WWZ) landscape was held with representatives from Liberia and Guinea on 12 October in Zorzor, Liberia.
Liberia and Guinea had signed a Bilateral Framework Agreement in 2019 to formalise their commitment to work together for effective conservation and sustainable management of the WWZ landscape and its natural resources.

Fauna & Flora international (FFI), the PAPFor programme’s implementing partner in the WWZ landscape, organised the meeting to restart the collaboration between Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and Guinea’s Centre Forestier de N’Zérékoré (CFZ). It enabled representatives of the two institutions to meet and plan transboundary activities within the scope of the FFI-EU-PAPFor WWZ project intervention (until 2024) and beyond.

The meeting resulted in updating the draft terms of reference of the transboundary steering committee, and in the development of a detailed plan for the first joint transboundary border patrols.

“The Liberia government through the FDA is working hard to connect and maintain all transboundary landscapes connected with their national territory. Having this steering committee operational will enable both countries (Guinea and Liberia) to work together to conserve the ecological integrity of the WWZ forest landscape and explore options for supporting livelihood opportunities for forest fringe communities” commented Mr Jerry Yonmah, Technical Manager in the Conservation Department and representative of the FDA’s Managing Director.

In closing remarks, Mr. Mamadi Onivogui, Special Assistant to Director of CFZ, thanked FFI for organising the meeting, which enabled the two countries to meet together again to discuss biodiversity issues. He confirmed that CFZ is available and willing to continue working with its Liberian counterpart, and pledged to share the outcomes of the meeting with his management.