On 10/2/2018, the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE) organized a mini workshop for exchanges with biodiversity actors in Burundi on possible future activities of the program (2019-2023). This mini workshop follows the workshop to present the results of the 2014-2018 program. The activities of this mini workshop began with the reading of the workshop program followed by the speech of the Director General of OBPE, Dr. NDAYIRAGIJE Samuel.

 

Taking the floor, the Director General of the OBPE first specified the objective of the workshop, which is to discuss exchanges with biodiversity actors on possible future activities for the 2019-2023 program. He recalled that this mini-workshop follows the workshop for presenting the results by the OBPE marking the end of the first phase of the 2014-2018 five-year plan.

 

These presentations showed the capacities acquired by Burundi in terms of research, information exchange, awareness-raising and conservation of biodiversity. While much has been achieved, there are a lot of gaps and there is still a lot of work to be done. Indeed, the complete inventory of biodiversity, the state of play on the degree of threats to biodiversity, the lack of protection measures, wetlands that have not yet been identified and the lack of the monitoring system are relevant issues for biodiversity in Burundi. All these questions require immediate solutions for a rapid and effective response against the degradation of biodiversity.

He continued his remarks by mentioning that biodiversity actors have sufficient knowledge to improve this alarming situation and contribute to the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding between OBPE and IRNSB (2019-2023).

He ended his remarks by thanking the DGD, the IRNSB for their support in the 2014-2018 program and all the participants in this workshop.

 

The speech of the Director General of the OBPE was followed by a word of circumstance from the coordinator of the CeBIOS program, Mr. Luc Janssens from Bisthoven. Starting his remarks for the occasion, he said that they were interested and amazed by the results of the 2014-2018 program presented by the OBPE.

He did not fail to appreciate the inclusive nature of the OBPE in the realization of its projects by working with the various biodiversity actors. He ended his remarks by inviting participants to contribute positively to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for 2019-2023.

This speech by the Director General was followed by the reading of the recommendations resulting from the first day of presentation of the results by the OBPE of the 2014-2018 program by Mr. Alphonse FOFO.

 

  The activities of this workshop were closed by the Director General of OBPE thanking the participants for their good contributions while welcoming them back to their communities of origin.