ARCOS Network

Le livre intitulé: « Ecological Impact of Long-Term Changes in Africa’s Rift Valley » (l’impact écologique des changements à long-terme dans le rift valley africain) explore les changements du climat, de l’habitat, de la faune et de la conservation dans ces régions de grande importance au niveau mondial. Pour plus d’information, lire le communiqué (en Anglais): Press release

C’est avec beaucoup de tristesse qu’ARCOS vient d’apprendre la nouvelle choquante de la mort brutale de Monsieur MTANGALA NSENGA LUMPU – Coordinateur d’AFED, une mort qui est survenue suite à un accident de circulation à Goma la nuit dernière, 12 Avril 2012.

Le regrette Mtangala Lumpu (devant) lors de la Reunion du Reseau Regional des ONGs au Rwanda, octobre 2011 (Photo/ARCOS)

Le regretté Mtangala était un activiste très enthousiaste dans la défense de l’environnement et la conservation de la nature et il a joué un rôle prépondérant dans l’établissement d’un mouvement très actif  pour les populations et la societe civile à l’est de la République Démocratique du Congo et toute la région en général.

Ancien Président du Conseil d’Administration du Réseau CREF, il était actuellement le coordinateur d’AFED, ONG membre du Réseau ARCOS.

ARCOS exprime sa profonde compassion avec la famille de Mtangala et tous ceux qui l’aimaient ; que le flambeau de ses actions continue de nous éclairer et nous encourage à lui emboiter le pas.

ARCOS REÇOIT LE PRIX MACARTHUR POUR LES INSTITUTIONS CREATIVES ET EFFICACES

Kampala, 16 Février, 2012 – Aujourd’hui, la Fondation John D. et Catherine T. MacArthur a nommé  la Société de Conservation du Rift Albertin (Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) en tant que récipiendaire du Prix MacArthur pour les institutions créatives et efficaces. Le prix reconnaît le travail d’ARCOS comme champion des actions collaboratives de conservation dans la région du Rift Albertin, l’un des écosystèmes les plus importants au monde.

Le prix MacArthur soutient les efforts créatifs d’ARCOS pour résoudre le problème urgent de la perte rapide de l’habitat et de la diversité génétique et la détérioration des moyens de subsistance de la communauté en engageant différents partenaires et intervenants dans la région du Rift Albertin. ARCOS aide à améliorer la gestion intégrée des services écosystémiques et de la biodiversité; facilite les mécanismes d’évaluation et de lutte contre le changement climatique et milite pour l’autonomisation des structures de base de la communauté pour participer à la gouvernance environnementale et la réduction des  menaces.

« Cette récompense arrive à un moment critique pour le réseau ARCOS. Il nous aidera à mettre en œuvre notre nouvelle stratégie  plus efficacement tout en devenant une organisation plus établie, plus stable et plus visible », a déclaré le Dr Sam Kanyamibwa, le Secrétaire Exécutif d’ARCOS.

Le prix n’est pas seulement une reconnaissance d’un leadership  et succès passé, mais aussi un investissement dans l’avenir d’ARCOS. ARCOS va utiliser cette infusion généreuse de soutien pour construire ses prémisses à Kigali – établissant à la fois un siège social et un système d’information régional et Centre de formation pour les ONG et autres institutions à travers la région du Rift Albertin.

«De Chicago à Kampala, ces organisations extraordinaires font preuve de créativité et efficacité exceptionnelle», a déclaré  le président de MacArthur, Robert Gallucci. «Ils fournissent de nouvelles façons de résoudre les problèmes anciens. Ils génèrent des idées provocatrices et ils recadrent les débats éculés. Et pour couronner tout, leur impact est tout à fait disproportionnée par rapport à leur taille ».

ARCOS est l’un des 15 organisations de six pays à être reconnus aujourd’hui avec le prix MacArthur pour les institutions créatives et efficaces. La Fondation MacArthur ne sollicite ni accepte des candidatures pour ce prix. Pour se qualifier, les organisations doivent faire preuve de créativité et d’efficacité exceptionnelle; ont atteint un point critique ou stratégique dans leur développement; font preuve de leadership solide et de gestion financière stable, ont déjà reçu le soutien MacArthur, et travaillent dans le domaine de l’un des programmes de base de MacArthur.

MACEI_Press_release_French

Annonce par MacArthur

MACEI_ARCOS-PROFILE

Désolé, mais cette page ou article n’est pas disponible en français

Désolé, mais cette page ou article n’est pas disponible en français

Au moment ou les négociations sur les Changements Climatiques atteignent leur point culminant, ARCOS demande aux gouvernements se réunissant à Durban de démontrer leur leadership et volonté politique pour atteindre des résultats concrets en vue de sauver la planète et les humains.

Depuis Copenhague à Cancun et maintenant en Afrique au Durban, ARCOS continue d’insister sur l’urgence de prendre des décisions pour s’attaquer au plus grand problème que la terre fait face aujourd’hui.  ARCOS est déçu que les négociations de Durban n’adressent pas les problèmes fondamentaux.  Les gouvernements ont besoin de décider sur la seconde phase du Protocole de Kyoto et sur des bases légales pour un accord âpres 2015 incluant tous les pays, et s’engager pour attribuer des ressources financières en créant le Fond Vert sur le Climat. Le mécanisme de financement, qui canalisera des fonds vers les pays en voie de développement  pour attaquer les changements climatiques.

Comme dans d’autres écosystèmes de montagne, l’impact du changement climatique en Afrique affecte déjà les besoins de base des populations et les économies nationales, dit le Secrétaire Exécutif d’ARCOS  lors d’une Réunion Régionale sur le Développement Durable dans des Régions de Montagne Africaines, traitant du thème “Impacts des Changements Climatiques, Adaptions et Développent dans des Ecosystèmes Fragile” organisée par Partenariat de Montagne  à Mbale, Ouganda. Dans le Rift Albertin, l’un des écosystèmes très importants pour la biodiversité et des services écosystémiques pour l’humanité, tous les  pays de la région font déjà face aux problèmes d’inondations, de longues périodes de sécheresse, etc.

Position d’RCOS sur les Changements Climatiques

UNFCCC et Conférence de Durban sur le Climat

Twenty years on from the Rio 1992 meeting (the first “Earth Summit”), participants coming from all walks of life met in Lucerne on 11 and 12 October 2011 to make a compelling case for mountains in international development discussions.

“At an international level, Rio+20 will provide a great momentum for the world to share common aspirational goals and visions”, explained Mr Lalonde. “Since mountains are transboundary and interdisciplinary, the key entry in Rio+20 could be about cooperation in mountain regions at all scales”, he said.

As shown in a number of regional reports ranging from the Andes to the Hindu-Kush-Himalaya, presented at the Conference, mountains could fuel the debate in all the relevant sectors of Rio+20: water, energy, food security, planet monitoring, social issues (with employment, education and culture), risk preparedness.

Participants in the Lucerne World Mountain Conference have produced a Call for Action to bring a conjunct strong message to Rio+20 in June 2012. Strong in number, diversity and complexity; still vulnerable owing to high poverty rates, mountains must stand tall on the development agenda. A source of fresh water for half of the earth’s population, mountains open the way for concrete ways of reducing poverty, overcoming food insecurity and enhancing international (often transboundary) cooperation with benefits for all – mountain communities above and downstream cities below.

The Albertine Rift and the mountains of East Africa are one of the critical ecosystems for biodiversity, national economies and people livelihoods. ARCOS is member of the Mountain Partnership,

The Mountain Partnership is an international, voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to improving the lives of mountain people and protecting their environment around the world. An official UN partnership, it was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. The Mountain Partnership has over 170 members, comprising governments, civil society, intergovernmental organizations and the private sector. It is supported by a Secretariat, whose structure consists of a Central Hub, hosted at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – FAO – and working at the global level as well as ensuring overall coordination; and of three Decentralized Hubs; hosted at the University of Central Asia – UCA – in Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia Hub), the Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean Ecoregion – CONDESAN – in Peru (Latin America Hub), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development – ICIMOD – in Nepal (Asia Pacific Hub); and the Environmental Reference Centre – ERC – of the United Nations Environment Programme in Vienna, responsible.

Read the Call for Action here.

 The Governing Board of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) has approved the appointment of Donald Hobern as its new Executive Secretary.

Currently the director of the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), Hobern will take up the post at the end of January 2012. He will arrive at the Copenhagen-based Secretariat as GBIF starts to implement its new strategic plan for 2012-16, aimed at advancing the data content, informatics and engagement of its worldwide network. Donald Hobern previously worked in the GBIF Secretariat between 2002-7, most recently as Deputy Director for Informatics.

In recommending the appointment, the GBIF Executive Committee considered that Hobern combined the experience and knowledge to lead the technical part of GBIF’s biodiversity informatics mission, with the diplomatic skills required to reach out and engage partners and Participants in a highly complex environment.

Announcing the appointment, the GBIF Chair Joanne Daly said, “I am delighted that Donald has decided to come back to GBIF at this critical and exciting time.  “He pulled off a remarkable achievement in building the Atlas of Living Australia in a very short time, showing leadership in bringing together disparate parties to construct an amazing portal for Australian biodiversity data. That achievement was only possible because it was built on the backbone provided by GBIF, towhich Donald himself had contributed so much. “Donald is the right person for GBIF at the right time, and this appointment confirms that it has a great future.”

Approval of the appointment was given at the start of the 18^th meeting of the Governing Board (GB18), taking place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 4 and 6October. Donald Hobern is attending the event to give a presentation on theAtlas of Living Australia at the annual GBIF Science Symposium, whose themethis year is Celebrating Ten Years of GBIF.

Commenting on confirmation of his appointment, Donald Hobern said: “I am really excited to be returning to work with GBIF. The Global Biodiversity Information Facility has a unique and important role to play in supporting national and international activities to manage biodiversity data. “I look forward to learning more about how GBIF can meet the needs of each of its Participants.  There are so many exciting projects going on in different regions, and global collaboration can help to maximize the benefits from all this work.”

 Hobern replaces the current GBIF Executive Secretary Nicholas King, who leaves his post at the end of December after four and a half years in the job.  “GBIF is poised to really deliver on its ten years of investment to date, as we wrap up this phase. Donald is the right person totake GBIF forward for its next exciting phase,” said King.

Joanne Daly paid tribute to Nicholas King’s contribution during his time as Executive Secretary. “Nick has workedtirelessly and with great skill, ensuring that GBIF has fulfilled the mission of its current phase, to move into full operation as a global facility for the benefit of science and society.”  

 Donald Hobern has a background in software development and web architecture, and he worked 16years for IBM before joining GBIF in 2002. He has a lifelong passion for natural history, and in recent years paid particular attention to the Australian Pterophoridae (plume moths), assisting with some curation of these species in the Australian National Insect Collection. He was formerly Chair of TDWG Biodiversity Information Standards.

For further information, contact: Tim Hirsch, GBIF Senior Programme Officer for Engagement: thirsch@gbif.org

 Notes to editors: The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) was established by governments in 2001 to encourage free and open access to biodiversity data, via the Internet. Through a global network of 57 countries and 47 organizations, GBIF promotes and facilitates the mobilization, access, discovery and use of information about the occurrence of organisms over time and across the planet. ARCOS joined officially GBIF Global Network on 20th January 2010. Tanzania (TanBIF) and Uganda (UgaBIF) are the only Node countries of GBIF in the Albertine Rift.  As part of the Albertine Rift Biodiversity Monitoring and Information System (ARBMIS) ARCOS collaborates with National Data Centres in different countries of the Albertine Rift to encourage all countries of the region to join GBIF.

Relevant links: Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF): www.gbif.org

Capacity building for local NGOs is one of the priorities identified in the ‘Regional strategic framework for conservation of the Albertine Rift’ (ARCOS, 2004). With support from the MacArthur Foundation, ARCOS has played a leading role in the implementation of the Albertine Rift Regional Strategic Framework:

• ARCOS has established and supported a network of NGOs and CBOs in the region and a regional NGO strategy has been developed during a regional NGO meeting in 2006;
• Over 200 local NGO leaders have been involved in ARCOS activities, including 30 NGOs having benefited direct training in areas of institutional development, fundraising and business planning and networking as well as in technical areas of biodiversity assessment, landscape management, environmental impact assessment, lobbying and advocacy.

Recently and in recognition of ARCOS achievements, the MacArthur Foundation provided a follow up funding to ARCOS for “Building Civil Society Leadership in the Albertine Rift region”, with the main objective to enhance NGO institutional capacity, networking mechanisms and collaborative actions in the Albertine Rift region.

In this context, ARCOS will organize an important Albertine Rift Regional NGO Network Workshop involving NGO Leaders from the region with three objectives:

• To provide training and strategic directions to the Heads of NGOs in organization development, fundraising, business planning as well as policy and advocacy targeting emerging issues in the region such as oil and gas, ecosystem services, EIAs and climate change.
• Conduct review and update the Regional NGO Strategy 2006 and draw lessons from training activities, NGO Small Grant Scheme, and individual NGO Strategic Plan development
• Develop regional initiatives to enhance the NGO strategy in terms of Joint NGOs advocacy work in the region; establishment of a Regional Alumni of Conservation Leaders; and Development of Regional NGO Sustainable Funding Strategy.

 This Regional workshop is scheduled for 4th to 7th October 2011 in Musanze, Rwanda involving the Heads or Deputy Heads of 25 NGOs from Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, DRC, and Tanzania . Participants are expected to arrive on 3rd October, and will return on 8th October 2011 (including a field visit on Thursday 6^th October). In order to encourage experience exchange and cross-learning, each participating NGO is also requested to come with a “Poster” describing NGO activities. Finally, a special photograph competition will take place, focusing on 4 themes: 1) Biodiversity; 2) People, Nature and Livelihoods, and 3) Conservation Threats and challenges in the Albertine Rift.