The Permanent Forum notes the increasing operational activity of extractive industries and other large-scale development projects, including land grabbing, which is taking place on or near the territories of indigenous peoples in many African States, often without the involvement of indigenous peoples and without their free, prior and informed consent. The Forum recommends that African States must respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in particular the right of indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent.
The Permanent Forum calls on all States that have not yet done so to implement the 2005 Kyoto Protocol, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international initiatives that address climate change and biocultural diversity in conjunction with indigenous peoples, including indigenous women, in a full and effective way. The Annex I countries should implement their commitments to the Kyoto Protocol by doing all they can to shift their economic systems towards low-carbon systems, instead of relying mainly on the purchase of emission credits to offset their emissions. The fast-industrializing developing countries should also undertake serious efforts to cut their emissions and develop low-carbon energy systems.
Relevant States of the Congo Basin region and the World Bank are urged to enforce, expand and respect the moratorium on the new forest concessions in order to allow time to strengthen the capacities of indigenous peoples and civil society in the Congo Basin region and to allow a participative zoning process.
The Permanent Forum reiterates that the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues constitutes a key forum for the achievement of more effective coordination and coherence in supporting the preparations for and the participation of indigenous peoples in the World Conference and recommends stronger engagement and the participation of all agencies, programmes and funds in the work of the Group.