Six African states are far advanced in a plan to save the world's second largest rain forest and enable a growing population to benefit from the region's resources without destroying them. According to the Republic of Congo's Forestry Minister, Henri Djombo, the "convergence plan", in which the six states will make specific commitments for the sustainable development of the Congo Basin forest, is likely to be incorporated in a treaty to be drawn up by heads of state in Brazzaville next March.