Prominent Cameroonian environmental organization, Green Development Advocate (GDA), has celebrated 15 years of community impact in the country.
The milestone was celebrated on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The anniversary coincided with a sub-regional workshop on reducing forest conversion in the Congo Basin. The Yaoundé forum was organized by GDA.
It brought together stakeholders from countries in the Central African subregion including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR).
The workshop took place under the theme: Regional governance and cooperation of forest conversion in the Congo Basin.
The Coordinator of GDA, Aristide Chacgom Fokam revealed that theme of the regional workshop was strategically chosen in the spirit of the anniversary.
“GDA has had its ups and downs, but it remains deeply committed to preserving the forests of the Congo Basin,” Chacgom said while assessing the organization’s impact so far.
He assured that GDA is resolute to its vision of thriving for an ever-greener Congo Basin.
“We promote sustainable development that takes forest conservation into account, as well as the rights of communities, especially the rights of Indigenous peoples, who live from the forest and whose practices do not harm the forest, including the Baka, Bagyéli/Bakola, Bedzang, Montagnards and Mbororo” he stressed.
Guy Moussele Diséke, president of the organisation Bomassa Association for the Promotion of Culture and Protection of Biodiversity (ABPCPB), that specializes primarily in traditional conservation, and in the recognition of the lands of indigenous peoples and local communities, hailed GDA.
GDA has supported farmers in several parts of the country
“We are here first and foremost to honour the memory of the 11th anniversary of our late and distinguished colleague, the founder of the NGO GDA. He was a great elder and a mentor who introduced us to the work we are doing today. The fact that this coincides with the 15th anniversary of his organisation has brought us together here, represented across six countries of the sub-region,” Diseke said.
He added that: “He was a great teacher who guided us towards the recognition of rights and, above all, the protection of biodiversity. He was an eminent jurist who truly enabled us to be effective in the work we continue to carry out in his memory. It was therefore very important that we all be present here”.
GDA was founded by prominent environmental lawyer and social justice activist, Dr Djeukam Robinson. It was created in 2009 by a multi-disciplinary group and legalized on June 30, 2011.
Before his demise on August 19, 2015, Dr Djeukam was rigorously fighting against illegal logging, abuse of community land rights and striving towards strengthening forest governance across the Congo Basin.
Over the years, GDA has achieved great strides in promoting good environmental governance, and providing support to indigenous people. The organization has also contributed to sustainable management of natural resources and raise awareness on issues related to the environment and human rights.