On 20^th July 2010 at Top Tower Hotel in Kigali, the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) under its Designated National Authority (DNA)-Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Project offered Carbon Market training to MINIFOM staff and forest stakeholders mostly composed of District Forest Officers (DFOs). In her welcoming remarks, the Director General of REMA acknowledged the mass participation of the invitees. She also highlighted that the Government of Rwanda realized that the population should develop in cleaner way and put in place a legal framework which includes even the ratification of Kyoto Protocol, which is a United Nations agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. Before the DG invited the guest of honor to speak, she urged attendees to benefit from the knowledge offered by DNA-CDM Project members as the members have the mandate to build capacity of policy makers and private sector in the Carbon Market.

This training had 57 participants including the Honorable Minister BAZIVAMO Christophe.  The Minister advised all DFOs, whose main duty is protection and promotion of forests and the environment in their respective districts, to regularly evaluate their activities in regards to forestry conservation because “we still have a long way to go”. The MINIFOM chief presented his gratitude to REMA’s Director General for accepting to instruct potential carbon market stakeholders in the forestry sector.

Since July 2009, when the DNA-CDM Project commenced, “24 projects have been initiated in the energy, forestry and waste management sectors.  The 1^st project to be registered in Rwanda was registered by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) CDM Executive Board on 30^th May 2010” the DNA-CDM Manager, NTAZINDA Jean informed the audience.

Participants were trained on Climate Change, Carbon Market Finance and Carbon Market Forestry Projects and how reduced emissions from deforestation, degradation and forestry management+ (REDD+) can potentially generate extra revenues for forestry projects in Rwanda. Presenters were Ms. Courtney BLODGETT, CDM Technical Expert and Mr. NTAZINDA Jean, DNA-CDM Project Manager.