AWF Partners with REJEFAC-AVJC to Engage Young Leaders from Francophone Africa

On November 23, 2020, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) was one of the facilitators in a one-of-a-kind online regional biodiversity youth workshop targeting to build the capacity of over 100 young leaders from francophone Africa. The four-day virtual workshop was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with participants connecting from across the continent. This webinar was organized by Réseau des Jeunes des Forêts d'Afrique Centrale (REJEFAC) - Association Jeunesse Verte du Cameroun (AJVC).

AWF alongside the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Commission des Forêts d’Afrique (COMIFAC), and Conference on Dense and Moist Forest Ecosystems of Central Africa (CEFDHAC) partnered with REJEFAC-AVJC to sensitize and raise awareness on progressive conservation policies in Africa and the active roles the youth can take up to advance the former. This webinar was the launchpad of an ongoing campaign that is set to run till February 2021.

Some of the guiding thematic areas of discussion included reinforcing the capacities of the REJEFAC regional network on communication and advocacy skills, analyzing the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and the New Deal for Nature regional strategy. Additionally, the webinar sought to draft a position paper stating the key biodiversity priorities of the youth from the region.

AWF’s Vice President for Conservation Strategy, Knowledge Management & Impact Charly Facheux officially opened the workshop acknowledging that young leaders must be involved in the decision-making processes that shape their future and highlighting the active AWF commitments towards youth engagement.

“I would like to thank you for organizing this event despite the ongoing pandemic. AWF recently launched a ten-year strategy that focuses on the importance of engaging the youth in conservation. It is imperative to put in place the new foundations of African biodiversity that takes into account resilience, the environment, and the economy. These discussions should go beyond COP15. It should be a daily discussion as it has an impact on our lives and especially on your future as the youth,” said Facheux.

2020 being the super year for biodiversity, young people across the globe are committed to living in harmony with nature. African youth are no exception, they are taking action for the future they want. Their engagements in biodiversity are challenging leaders and giving them a roadmap on what the youth want and how they want conservation handled moving forward.