The Bureau noted the concerns expressed that a report on the implementation of the Sangmelima (1998) Workshop recommendations is yet to be received from the State Party. The IUCN Regional Office for Central Africa has been involved in assisting the efforts of the State Party to conserve this site since 1995, with financial support from the Government of the Netherlands. IUCN has informed the Centre that this support was concluded in December 1999. Since then there have been no new projects to support site management and additional resources from international donors and partners are urgently required. Illegal opening of roads for forestry activities and poaching, particularly linked to the supply of the bush-meat trade are significant threats to this site.
IUCN informed the Bureau of the urgent need to address the key conservation challenges, particularly those associated with logging; poaching and the need for alternative resource use options for local communities. IUCN’s Central African Office and the State Party submitted a funding proposal for consideration by the United Nations Foundation, but this was unsuccessful, although IUCN has been advised that a broader regional proposal, focused on the bush-meat trade may be more successful.
The Bureau noted that the Secretariat has not received a response to the letter informing the State Party of the decisions of the twenty-third extraordinary session of the Bureau. On 25 April 2000, a member of the Centre staff met and discussed the situation with the Second Secretary of the Permanent Delegation of Cameroon to UNESCO. It was agreed that the Delegation would do its best to ensure that the State Party communicates with the Centre as soon as possible on Dja.
Having considered the information provided, the Bureau reiterated its request, made at its sessions in 1998 and 1999, that the State Party submit a detailed report on the progress made to implement the recommendations of the Sangmelima Workshop. The Bureau further requested the Centre and IUCN to co-operate with the State Party to identify alternative donors to support the development of institutional and local capacities for the management of the site.