SCO Gabon: 1st workshop of implementation

Context

In early 2021, the SCO labeling of a mangrove preservation project propelled Gabon to the rank of SCO Acceleration Committee or SAC. Objective: to build on the maturation of the project to implement the SCO Gabon. Last March, in the article Gabon in the starting blocks, Mr. Aboubakar Mambimba Ndjoungui, Deputy Director General of the Gabonese space agency AGEOS, shared with us his vision and expectations of the SCO initiative, as well as his desire to quickly transform the Acceleration Committee into SCO Gabon. The May 18 meeting was a concrete expression of this desire.

May 18, 2021, a big step towards the SCO Gabon

The session opened with a speech by the Minister Delegate for Communication, Ms. Gisèle Akoghe. She first emphasized Gabon's leadership position in Central Africa on climate issues and its involvement through the highest authorities in climate negotiations at the international level. She also noted the establishment by the Head of State of technical and administrative structures AGEOS (space agency), ANPN (National Agency of National Parks) and CNC (National Climate Council), whose missions contribute to the knowledge and decision support on climate issues.

Mrs. Gisèle Akoghe, Minister Delegate for Communication, and Mr. Aboubakar Mambimba Ndjoungui, Deputy Director General of AGEOS. © AGEOS

The Deputy Director General of AGEOS, Mr. Aboubakar Mambimba Ndjoungui, then showed the relevance of developing a SCO Gabon, both for national interests and to contribute significantly to the development of the SCO initiative at the international level. To do this, he relied on several presentations:

• SCO International and its organization;
• Work done by AGEOS related to climate change;
• Work to quantify carbon stocks in mangrove soils;
• Presentation of the project of a monitoring system for mangroves in Gabon;
• The validation of the TORs and the constitution of the SCO Gabon office.

At the end of these exchanges, all partners responded favorably to the idea of joining the SCO Gabon. The organizational chart below presents the composition of the executive committee and the institutions that have expressed their opinion on the role they could play in the SCO Gabon.

Objective maintained

With the groundwork laid and discussions launched, all partners will now work to define the terms of reference for the SCO Gabon and the mangrove project. A second workshop is planned for an official launch of the SCO Gabon during the summer of 2021.

Agencies present:

AGEOS

ANPN

CENAREST

CNES/ESA

National Climate Council

General Directorate of Land Management

General Directorate of Environment and Nature Protection

General Directorate of Meteorology

General Directorate of Risk Prevention at the Libreville City Hall

General Directorate of Aquatic Ecosystems

General Directorate of Forestry

High Commission for the Environment and Living Environment

INSAB/ USTM

LAGRAC/UOB

LANASPET

UNDP

EUROPEAN UNION (Environment Program)