Monrovia, Liberia – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Executive Director, Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey Yarkpawolo, joined Minister Jiwoh Abdulai, the Environment and Climate Change Minister of Sierra Leone, at a side event on October 25, 2024, on the sidelines of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 16 to discuss transboundary conservation efforts in the Gola Rainforest.
The focus of the event was the creative cooperation between governments, civil society, and local communities in Sierra Leone and Liberia to preserve the Gola Rainforest and carry out the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The event included video presentations that highlighted their accomplishments and showcased community-led conservation efforts in the Gola environment. The presentations were followed by a panel discussion in which guests had the opportunity to interact directly with the panelists.
Minister Abdulai and Dr. Yarkpawolo stressed the importance of such cooperative efforts in safeguarding local livelihoods, preserving biodiversity, and achieving international conservation objectives. By using common tactics and local involvement in the Gola region, the event gave both countries a chance to reaffirm their dedication to environmental preservation.
