Gervais Ludovic Itsoua Madzous has been appointed Coordinator for the Regional Climate Action Transparency Hub for Central Africa by H.E. Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo, President of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). 

The announcement was made at a press conference in Gabon, hosted by the ECCAS President and ICAT Director, Dr. Henning Wuester, on 31 August. The press conference was held to coincide with Africa Climate Week, which was being hosted in Gabon from 29 August to 2 September.

ECCAS and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN organization that supports ICAT, signed a partnership agreement on 30 August 2021 to appoint ECCAS as the Hub’s host. It will be co-located with ECCAS’ Central African Climate Prediction Application Centre in Doula.

The Hub supports the 11 ECCAS Member States in their efforts to build and improve sustainable and comprehensive transparency frameworks. It aims to build capacity and create a network in the region to support ECCAS member countries in their efforts to improve and build sustainable and comprehensive transparency frameworks. As a result, national decision-makers, policymakers, investors and stakeholders will be in a better position to advance climate mitigation and adaptation actions, and countries are better able to meet their reporting requirements under the Paris Agreement.

The Hub was launched in March. Attended virtually by ministers, senior government officials, private sector, academia and development actors, the two-day launch event provided stakeholders with an overview of the Hub’s objectives and proposed activities, along with providing the opportunity for country representatives to discuss their experiences relating to climate action, transparency and reporting. 

With all countries confirming their interest and commitment to participate in the Hub, the launch event served to underline the region’s commitment to climate action. Event speakers welcomed the initiative as a timely response to an urgent need. 

ICAT has two regional hubs: this one in Central Africa; and a second in Central Asia.

Gervais Ludovic Itsoua Madzous

Gervais Ludovic Itsoua Madzous has a long history in climate change and transparency, having served as Technical Assistant for Climate Negotiation and REDD+ at the COMIFAC Regional REDD+ Project, before holding the position of Deputy Executive Secretary, Technical Coordinator of the Central African Forest Commission. Mr. Madzous is an IPCC Focal Point and former UNFCCC National Focal Point. With UNFCCC, he participated in the UNFCCC Consultative Group of Experts, which he chaired in 2019. In addition, he coordinated the preparation of the National Communication of the Republic of Congo to the UNFCCC. 

Mr. Madzous is currently engaged in a PhD on International Relations and Diplomacy. He holds an Advanced Studies Diploma in Physical Geography.