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Move to protect Congo Basin forests

[Liberia] Former MODEL fighters line up to hand in their weapons at the newly opened in disarmament camp in Zwedru, Liberia in July 2004. IRIN
UN has warned of shortfall in funds to rehabilitate thousands of ex-combatants
    MONROVIA

    Five central African heads of state are to sign a “Yaounde Declaration” aimed at protecting vast tracts of forest in the Congo Basin. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the presidents of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea met in Yaounde, Cameroon, yesterday to sign the document. The Congo Basin forest is the second largest tropical forest in the world and houses more than half of Africa’s wild plants and animals, including forest elephant, western lowland gorilla and forest buffalo.
    The Congo Basin is one of the most challenging environments for conservationists because of difficult economic conditions and civil disturbances in many of the countries. WWF Director General Dr Claude Martin said the organisation would encourage governments to adopt an integrated approach to forest conservation.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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