Transboundary Dialogue and Cooperation: First Lessons from Igniting Negotiations on Joint Management of the Mayombe Forest in the Congo Basin

This paper questions the conduct of key processes and outcome of preliminary actions leading to national engagements and commitment for the management of transboundary protected areas and how these fit into the broader picture of multi-stakeholder negotiation and collaboration framework. Using the participatory learning and action method, authors accompanied stakeholders (consultants, facilitators, experts and Ministers from Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congo) in negotiating the Mayombe forest transboundary protected area. Main activities carried out were baseline studies, internal meetings and multiparty meetings organized in the respective countries, Kinshasa (DRC) and Cabinda (Angola). Results show that the negotiation process was initially win-lose during the first multiparty meeting. These worsen to a lose-lose scenario in the second meeting. At this stage the process was rather externally-driven. After serious internal meetings and the intervention of senior officials it finally moved to a win-win situation as a result of increased national ownership. Since the ministers from the three countries were able to reverse the negotiation outcome, it appears that the views of high level government authorities are essential in preliminary arrangements in transboundary dialogue and cooperation. As such, protected areas negotiation schemes should not be limited to technical expertise but rather be inclusive of politics at the national and regional level. It is expected that increased national-level and local-level ownership would further improve the win-win tendencies