At the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille (September 2021), the Agence Française pour le Développement (AFD) and the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) took stock of their contribution to eight Biodiversity Conservation Trust Funds (CTFs) in Africa and South America. The study’s findings have positioned FAPBM as a sustainable financing mechanism for biodiversity that can complement existing government support and tourism resources independently on local conditions. The end of April 2022 meetings with the AFD and the French Embassy in Madagascar review the collaborations between the institutions.
Meeting with the French Ambassador
FAPBM was granted an audience with H.E. Christophe Bouchard, French Ambassador, on April 28, 2022. The delegation was composed of Mr. Fredy Rajaonera Andriambelo, member of the Executive Committee, and Mr. Alain Liva Raharijaona, Director. France, through a Debt Reduction-Development Contract and AFD capital endowment, amounting to a total of EUR 23 million, is today the second largest contributor to the FAPBM’s capital. Thanks to these contributions, FAPBM supports 17 New Protected Areas, i.e. protected areas that are outside the Madagascar National Parks network. The FAPBM assistance consists in supporting the local communities, conserving the biodiversity and granting the managers’ operating expenses.
This audience, in the presence of Mr. Yves Guicquero, Director of the AFD in Madagascar, was an opportunity to thank France for its commitment to the protection of Madagascar biodiversity and to explore ways of future collaboration, at the national and regional levels, aimed at achieving greater funding impacts.
Working session with AFD Madagascar teams
The day after this visit, the FAPBM President of the Board, Mrs. Nanie Ratsifandrihamanana, and Mr. Alain Liva Raharijaona, Executive Director, received Mr. Yves Guicquero, Director of AFD in Madagascar, accompanied by Mrs. Danielle Rabenirina, Project Officer, in the FAPBM’s premises. Mr. Guicquero expressed his satisfaction with the relationship between FAPBM and AFD, and considered FAPBM as an exemplary institution in terms of impact, efficiency, accountability and transparency. The AFD Director went on to say that he would like FAPBM to participate fully in the regional biodiversity protection programs supported by AFD, such as COMBO+ (Conservation, Minimization of Impacts and Compensation for Biodiversity) and Varuna.
