Abou Bamba Email and Phone Number

I am the Lead Coordinator of the Abidjan Legacy Program which was announced during the work of UNCCD COP15 and is led by President Alassane Ouattara. It targets sustainable development objectives and is organized around four strategic areas :1. The fight against deforestation and the restoration of forests and degraded soil : with an emphasis on (i) strengthening the administration of the forestry sector, (ii) the restoration, the conservation and the sustainable management of classified forests, (iii) the restoration of forests in the rural domain and (iv) the promotion of agroforestry. 2. Improving soil productivity through (i) accelerating the rural land reform to protect producers, (ii) the modernization of production systems through irrigation, mechanization and access to improved seeds and (iii) the development of other types of food crops to solve the problem of food security.3. The resilience of the current value chains intended to support the producers of commodity value chains in the transition to more sustainable land use approaches, through (i) the assessment of sustainable agricultural inputs, technologies and infrastructures that are resilient to climate and (ii) the promotion of worldwide sustainable consumption patterns with a particular focus on cocoa value chains that do not lead to deforestation.4. The identification of the value chains of the future in particular, through the implementation of new value chains that are more resistant, resilient and adapted to the environment, climate change, and market needs.Two issues arise for us: continuous funding of our development and our food security now and in the future. Indeed, by the end of the decade, Cote d'Ivoire needs to restore 20% of our forest, create millions of jobs for young people, and improve the quality of life of women (the main producers of food) in rural areas.The Abidjan Legacy Program is a call to action to ensure the well-being of current and future generations.

Advising the Office of the Prime Minister on sustainable development related issues.

I am advising the Government of Cote d'Ivoire as well as other stakeholders in the preparation and successful implementation of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Désertification (UNCCD), to be held from 9 to 20 of March 2022 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

Successful revitalization of the UN Environment Convention on Cooperation for the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine Environment and Coastal Areas of the Atlantic Coast of the West, Central and Southern African Region (Abidjan Convention); development of regional policies and strategies for the protection of the marine and coastal areas of the Abidjan Convention zone in close cooperation with the Contracting Parties and other Western African (WAF) States, and assisting them in the formulation of national programmes; overall administration of Abidjan Convention Regional Co-coordinating Unit (WAF RCU) and its financial management including the preparation and organization of donor/partner meetings for the funding of WAF activities; development of strategic partnerships with relevant environmental stakeholders; preparation and organization of the Convention statutory meetings; transfer of the Secretariat from Nairobi to Abidjan; signature of the Host Country Agreement with the government of Cote d'Ivoire. institutional and staff capacity assessment; development of successful strategic partnerships with relevant private and public institutions; creation of a Committee on Science and Technology of the Abidjan Convention; successful fundraising with partners such as SIDA, the GEF, US AFRICOM, USAID, the World Bank, etc; increasing by 39% the Secretariat budget; elaborating and implementing a communication plan for the Convention and; successfully carrying out the revitalization process of the Abidjan Convention which is today among the key players in the field of marine and coastal issues in the Africa region.

I successfully supported and promoted the implementation of the Ramsar Strategic Plan in the region through the following:- designation of additional sites by Contracting Parties for the List of Wetlands of International Importance (the ‘Ramsar List’), and the development and implementation of management / sustainable development plans for these; development and implementation of National Wetland Policies; establishment and operation of National Ramsar Committees; implemented education, training, and public awareness activities related to the conservation and wise use of wetlands; developed projects for conservation and wise use of wetlands; facilitated the accession to the Convention by African countries s; organized regional and sub regional meetings and technical workshops; organized and participated in technical missions to review the conservation status of Ramsar sites at the request of Contracting Parties; developed partnerships with the relevant desks/officers of other environment-related conventions, regional and global intergovernmental institutions, and national and international NGOs; undertook evaluation of projects submitted by African countries to the Ramsar Small Grants Fund for Wetlands Conservation and Wise Use (SGF) and to the Swiss Grant for Africa; established and maintained working contacts with bilateral and multilateral funding agencies, and assisting African countries with the wetland project proposals; participated in, and helped to organize, the annual meetings of the Ramsar Standing Committee, meetings of the Convention's Scientific and Technical Review Panel, and the Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention; advised the Secretary General on global wetland priorities on the basis of experience in Africa and undertaking any other assignments given by the Secretary General and/or the Deputy Secretary General in relation to the overall responsibilities of the Ramsar Bureau in the region.