On June 21, 2022, FAPBM held its 20th annual meeting of the contributors to the capital with the members of its Board. A first in the history of FAPBM, the meeting was distinguished by the presence of the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Marie-Orléa Vina. She intervened to recognize the efforts of the Foundation in favour of the environmental emergence, and the important part that the contributors brought for that. She emphasized the consolidation of inter-ministry cooperation as a factor of efficiency.
What are the outcomes for Year 2021? The Executive Management presented in the first part the impacts of the funding to the supported protected areas. The 2021 FAPBM annual report concluded that the protected areas funded have recorded a significant improvement in their health status compared to 2020. Deforestation has reduced due to both a decrease in the level of threats and improved effectiveness of protected area managers. The number of fire points, which has been divided by 3, is a striking example. On the other hand, efforts for the sustainability of value chains (and income-generating activities) must be supported in order to achieve more convincing impacts on the living standard of the communities bordering the protected areas.
What are the prospects for the coming years? In the second part, FAPBM made a case for the 2022-2026 strategic plan, whose ambition is to support 70 protected areas by 2026 by raising USD 35 million for its capital and mobilizing more projects. The Foundation will build on the contribution of Madagascar’s protected areas to local development, to key national economic sectors and to global adaptation and mitigation efforts.
After 2 successive years of hybrid meetings, almost all contributors attended in person, namely: AFD, KFW, CI, WWF, and the Government of Madagascar which was represented by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development as well as the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The contributors were satisfied with the governance and management of FAPBM’s funds which have led to significant results for biodiversity conservation. The auditor’s report on the 2021 financial statements corroborated the transparency and financial ethics of the Foundation. The investment report, presented by Perennium, a Geneva-based financial firm, proved the resilience of the trust fund mechanism, despite the uncertainties of the financial markets. The President of the Board concluded by expressing FAPBM’s gratitude to its contributors, whose renewed trust as well as the financial and technical support have grown stronger over the years.
Meeting with a KfW mission
In addition to the meeting with the contributors, FAPBM had the great pleasure to welcome KfW mission in its premises. Around a fruitful exchange attended by the acting Director General a.i of Madagascar National Parks (MNP), discussions were held on the ongoing projects provided by the FAPBM 2022-2026 strategic plan. Among these is the strengthening of governance that will help FAPBM to make a qualitative scale up, such as the implementation of FAPBM ongoing Environmental and Social Management System.
