Report of the Pre-AMCEN African Civil Society Climate Change Workshop and African Regional Major Groups and Stakeholders Consultative Meeting in Preparation for UNEP’s 12th Special Session of the Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum

INTRODUCTION The Pre-AMCEN African Civil society workshop, which also doubled up as the African regional preparatory meeting for UNEP Major Groups, was held on 9 – 11 September 2011, at Hotel Maselley, Bamako and brought together around 50 civil society participants from key regions and diverse backgrounds in Africa, including small farmers, trade unions, youth, women, indigenous peoples and faith-based networks, etc. It was held strategically ahead of the AMCEN extra-ordinary meeting and was organised by PACJA in collaboration with UN Regional Office for Africa among other partners to discuss strategies aimed at strenghening civil society involvement in the international climate change dialogue processes and Rio+20 processes. While the first two days were dedicated to discussions centering on COP17, day three was dedicated to regional major groups and stakeholders consultations in preparation for UNEP’s 12th special session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, to be held in February 2012. Consequently, the workshop was divided into two parts :