Michael Philippe Bessike Balinga

Team Lead Combatting Wildlife Trafficking , International non-profit

Accra, Ghana

Expert in Natural Resource policies and Governance, Landscape Management, Participatory Forest management, and Biodiversity Conservation with 25 years of work experience including 1.5 as Chief of Party, 3.5 as Regional Coordinator for CIFOR in West Africa, and 5.5 years as Biodiversity Conservation Specialist for USAID’s WA BiCC Program and 4 years as Team Lead for Combatting Wildlife Trafficking.

Contact Michael Philippe Bessike Balinga
Area of Expertise:
  • Agriculture, Livelihoods, Microfinance, Rural
  • Capacity Building, Training, Advocacy
  • Director, CEO, COP, President
  • Fundraising, Business Development, Grants Writer
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis
Professional Experience:

Experience working with local communities, household surveys, market and value chain analysis, botanical / NTFP / wildlife inventories, watershed assessments and management plans, village development plans, community governance, gender, youth and social equity, sylviculture and agroforestry.
I have worked at national, regional and international level facilitating partnerships and processes for development of community forestry guidelines in Cameroon, Co-Management guidelines in Guinea, Species action plans for the Western Chimpanzee and for the West and central African Pangolins, renewal of Atlantic Sea Turtle MOU, Development of an Aquatic Wild Meat Action Plan for West Africa, development and implementation of the ECOWAS Forest Convergence Plan, and development and implementation of a West Africa Strategy for Combatting Wildlife Crime. I have provided strategic vision for developing new research and / or policy streams during various conferences of the parties for UNCCC, CITES, RAMSAR, CMS and Abidjan Convention. This has included supporting ECOWAS Member States in planning and organising multiple pre-COP meetings and organising 16 side events at various COPs. I have led the engagement of private sector (Banking, Airlines, Logistics and shipping companies) in combatting wildlife crime.
20 years international research experience in forests and livelihoods; forest governance; gender and equity, REDD+ and climate change adaptation; wildlife crime; coastal zone management and ecosystem resilience. I have over 60 (mostly international) publications, policy or issues briefs, factsheets and other learning or advocacy material I have co-produced.
Strong experience in capacity strengthening, including development of modules, running training workshops, and being a trainer on varied topics including; nursery establishment and management, rattan cultivation, processing and marketing, watershed assessments and management, climate change resilience, multi-taxa biodiversity assessments, village development planning, research methods, evidence based advocacy, integration of human rights considerations into biodiversity conservation and wildlife enforcement, basic investigator techniques for wildlife enforcement agencies including customs, judiciary, wildlife, police, etc. I have designed and run scholarship and mentorship programs and supported about 100 successful master’s degree students across Africa. Personally supervised more than 20 master’s theses through partnerships with the International University of Andalucía in Spain, US Fish and Wildlife Services, and various universities in West Africa.
Lead role in establishment of networks such as the Abidjan Aquatic Wildlife Partnership (AAWP), West Africa Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WASTCON), and West Africa Pangolin Network. Co-founder of the Western Chimpanzee Action Plan Implementation Committee and co-chair of its Land Use Planning Sub Committee.
Founder, and board member of the NGO Forests, Resources and People (FOREP). Thematic lead for numerous regional projects or programs. Board Member for the Parents National Educational Union (P.N.E.U.) School in Yaounde-Cameroon. I have been Chief of Party for the USAID funded Landscape Management for Improved Livelihoods (LAMIL) Program, and Regional Director for the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in West Africa. Managed teams ranging from 6 persons to over 100 persons and supervised recruitments, procurement and financial management, design and supervision of grants, partnership and institutional representation. Trained and experienced in strategic planning, outcome mapping and assessment using theories of change and impact pathway models. Strong ability to communicate and design communication materials and campaigns.

Education:

Professional Masters degree as Forest, water and wildlife Engineer obtained in 2000 from the University of Dschang in Cameroon.

Also graduated from the Smithsonian Institute short course on Biodiversity Assessment and Monitoring in 2005

Affiliations and Achievements:

I supervised the process that led from initial baselines on Illegal Wildlife Trade in West Africa, to the adoption of a West Africa Strategy for Combatting Wildlife Crime. I have also coordinated the establishment of global partnerships for fighting wildlife crime in West Africa and supported the training of enforcement agents in all 15 ECOWAS member states. I also contributed to establishing the West Africa TWIX, the Abidjan Aquatic Wildlife Partnership and the West Africa Sea Turtle Conservation Network. I initiated the discussions on Aquatic wildlife species that are consumed as meat and contributed to raising this issue at the Abidjan Convention, CMS and CITES Conferences of the Parties. I co-authored the drafting of an Aquatic Wild Meat Action Plan for West Africa, and a Western Chimpanzee Action Plan. I was also part of the team that undertook scoping studies for sea turtles, rosewood and pangolins in West Africa and supervised the drafting of a Regional Action Plan for Pangolin Conservation. I designed and coordinated a scholarship program for training West African Professionals on CITES with 50 Graduates between 2016 and 2025. Overall, my work in West Africa has led to high impact changes in awareness and capacity for fighting illegal wildlife trade in West Africa. I am co-founder and board member of the NGO "Forests, Resources and People" https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009666707490 and also a board member of the Parents National Educational Union (P.N.E.U.) School in Yaoundé - Cameroon.

Available for:

  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

More than 20 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English, French, West African Pidjin and Sierra Leonian Krio

Nationality:

Cameroon