The last FTNS Board of Directors meeting, held on the 25th & 26th may 2020 at Brazzaville, Congo, was marked by several major events, including the election of a new Board Chairperson. At this 26th edition of the trust fund’s decision-making body meeting, the 11 directors chose Mr. Raymond Mbitikon, the current Co-Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP).
A seasoned administrator, Mr. Raymond Mbitikon served two terms as the Executive Secretary of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) from 2008 to 2017. Long before that, he was successively National Director of the National Forestry Office, Minister of Water, Forests, Hunting, Fishing and Tourism and Minister of National Defence, Veterans, Energy, Mines and Hydraulics in the Central African Republic (CAR).
Taking up this new challenge, this diplomatic personality from the Central African Republic did not fail to reiterate his motivation to contribute to the growth of an effective financing tool such as the FTNS.
Mr. Mbitikon replaces Mr. Samuel Makon Wehiong, who held this position from 2015 to 2021. The latter’s mandate was marked by several achievements, including the increase of FTNS’ investment capital from €23.5 million in 2015 to approximately €64 million in early 2021. Mr Mbitikon will therefore have the heavy responsibility of accompanying the FTNS in its quest to obtain 100 million euros of investment capital in order to guarantee the survival and development of the fauna, flora, ecosystems and populations of the Sangha Tri-national.