MOU signed for technical, strategic information on REDD+ between UNDP and ONF

The UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for Guyana, Khadija Musa, and the French Forest Office (ONF) Guyane Regional Director, Nicolas Karr, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide a framework of cooperation and to facilitate collaboration between the entities, on REDD+ in the Guiana Shield.

UNDP is enhancing its development activities in the Guiana Shield, through implementation of the Guiana Shield Facility (GSF), a multi-country funding facility dedicated to conservation and sustainable development of the Guiana Shield eco-region. The GSF is supporting multiple REDD+ and REDD+ related activities in the Guiana Shield including strengthening monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system for REDD+ in Guyana, implementation of R-PP in Suriname and development of FORESEEN (forest and remote sensing exchange network), in efforts to accelerate REDD+ readiness of the countries and to conserve forest ecosystems.

The ONF prepares its partners to manage forests and natural areas, and to participate actively in the resolution of major issues of sustainable development. It is currently implementing a “REDD+ for the Guiana Shield” project focusing on regional cooperation for reducing emissions by preventing deforestation.

As such, in order to streamline future collaboration among the Guiana Shield countries that are participating in both GSF and ONF initiatives, the MOU will provide the framework for exchange of technical and strategic information on REDD+, enhance capacity at the national and community levels to sustainably manage forest ecosystems for achieving REDD+.

The MOU is also intended to contribute to data sharing and regional technical cooperation and capacity building that the two initiatives are developing, in order to increase ownership and participation, and to sustain the gains made during implementation of the GSF and the ONF REDD+ for the Guiana Shield project. The agreement clearly states that the “ONF and GSF, are keen to avoid duplication of activities, and to share experiences and data, within the limit of their own respective agreements with other partners.”