Natural ecosystems in Africa underpin healthy, prosperous human societies by providing essential goods and services and enhancing resilience to the effects of climate change. Nevertheless, they are under increasing pressure from population growth and development. Nowhere is this more true than in the biodiversity hotspots – the Earth’s most threatened and biologically important ecoregions. Since 2000, the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund – a unique partnership supported by the European Union and six other global donors – has been empowering civil society groups to conserve biodiversity in the hotspots. This event will summarize the Fund’s work in Africa, and introduce plans for a new €8.3 million investmentin the Guinean Forests of West Africa Hotspot.

Introduction
José Soler Carbo
Deputy Head of Unit DEVCO C2- Environment, Ecosystems, Biodiversity and Wildlife

Presentation
Olivier Langrand
Executive Director, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund

Jack Tordoff
Managing Director, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund

Kenneth Angu Angu
Regional Forest Programme Coordinator, IUCN Central and West Africa Programme Office

Conference Language: English
Q&A session: English and French