The CAFI Declaration
Preamble
Recognising the multiple ecosystem goods and services provided by the Central Africa forest – the world’s second biggest tropical rainforest – in particular its contribution to climate change mitigation, biodiversity preservation and sustainable development, and the vital role these forests play for livelihoods of forest-dependent peoples and communities;
Acknowledging that the pressure on this forest is increasing, that reforms to orientate Central African economies towards a low emission sustainable development path need to be strengthened, and that efforts to save this forest are often dispersed, non-coordinated and underfinanced;
Underlining that the drivers of deforestation in the region are multifaceted, both direct and indirect, and often related to weak governance and law enforcement, inadequate land use planning, insecure tenure rights for peoples and local communities, poverty, demographic pressure and food and income insecurity, and that measures to tackle deforestation will have to address these underlying causes in a manner that will allow the countries in the region to develop and prosper, while sustainably managing their natural resource base;
Recognising the progress made by Central African countries in establishing enabling conditions, ambitious policies and new institutional mechanisms to fight illegal logging, reduce deforestation and forest degradation, and implement low carbon development strategies – as well as a growing global trend for private sector commitments to move towards deforestation-free commodity supply chains;
Recalling that, in accordance with the Cancun Agreements, scaled-up, new and additional, predictable and adequate funding shall be provided to developing countries;
Acknowledging the financial constraints of Central African countries, as well as the limitations of existing multilateral initiatives to target upfront investment support necessary to implement essential reforms and address deforestation drivers in Central Africa.
Objective
On this basis, Central African countries with high rainforest forest cover (above 20 000 km2) and a coalition of dedicated donors have decided to enter into partnership and establish the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). The objective of this Initiative is to recognise and preserve the value of the forests in the region to mitigating climate change, reducing poverty, and contributing to sustainable development. This objective will be attained through the implementation of country-led, holistic low emissions development investment frameworks that include national policy reforms and measures addressing drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. The range of activities to be supported will depend on the specific context of the country and the dynamics of the drivers. The Initiative will be a forum of partnership and cross-country learning.
Donor country commitments
Through the Central African Forest Initiative, donors commit to ensuring better coordination and harmonisation among themselves and to mobilising resources for the implementation of national investment frameworks developed by Central Africa countries. Parts of the donor support will be channelled through a distinct financing mechanism managed by the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office. Complementary contributions through other channels will also be encouraged. The Initiative will be open to public and private donors.
Partner Country Commitments
High-forest cover partner countries in Central Africa that choose to join the Initiative commit to developing and implementing national investment frameworks to drive national reforms and carry out various multi-sectorial programs aimed at transformational change to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and contribute to sustainable development. These national investment frameworks will be elaborated in a transparent and participatory manner, meet established environmental and social safeguards, and will tie in with the country’s general planning cycle with links to the country’s overall development vision and objectives.
South-South Cooperation
CAFI encourages and is open to support South-South and triangular cooperation programmes. Interested Third country Parties and international organisations are welcome to participate in CAFI by means of programmes that aim, in particular, at capacity building and exchange of experiences and expertise in the implementation of policies that may contribute to fulfilling the objectives set by CAFI, as well as to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.
Implementation
The Initiative has an initial capitalisation target of minimum USD 500 million over the 2015-2025 lifetime of the Initiative. The possibility of seeking co-finance from other sources, including the Green Climate Fund, to national investment programmes through appropriate accredited entities will be explored.
The Initiative will finance one national investment framework per eligible country upon request of the national government at the highest level and based on a strong commitment to reforms that address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. The Initiative will take a performance-based approach with disbursements based on agreed targets.
Upon approval of a financial allocation to such a national investment framework, a Letter of Intent agreed upon between the partner country and the donors under the Initiative will specify the mutual commitments relating to these investments. Due to the cross-sectorial character of such investments, a high-level inter-ministerial task force under the lead of a cross-sectorial ministry or government body in charge of finance coordination and reforms will oversee the implementation of the programs.
Signatories
- Central Africa countries: the Central African Republic, the Republic of Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Gabon
- Donor countries: Belgium, the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway (2015), the Republic of France, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Sweden (2022), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America.
- South South partner: Brazil, Costa Rica (2025)
Why we do it
Rainforests have the potential to mitigate the ongoing global crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
They stock and absorb carbon and are home to more than 50% of terrestrial biodiversity, while only covering 6% of the Earth’s surface. No other ecosystem or economic sector has the same capacity to revert the unfolding climate and biodiversity crisis. Forests are also key for the survival of people living in and around them.
The Central African forest is unique in its size and features
Central Africa is one of the few remaining regions of the world that absorb more carbon than they emit. As the world’s second largest forest basin, it absorbs 1.1 billion tons of CO2 emissions out of the atmosphere or 4% of the world’s emissions every year. Its foret boasts unique biodiversity hotspots and is home to more than 10,000 plant and animal species, many endemic.
This forest is the source of food, energy, shelter and spirituality for over 40 million people living in and around it, in countries with some of the lowest Human Development indices and conflict areas and with the highest number of people in urgent need of food security assistance in the world. Yet the region faces major challenges such as poverty, inequality, food insecurity and poor business climate, compounded by weaknesses in governance, institutions and infrastructures.
A region with strong development needs
The Central African region faces major challenges such as poverty, inequality, food insecurity and poor business climate, compounded by weaknesses in governance, institutions and infrastructures.
Several countries in the Central African region seek to become emerging economies in the coming decades. They are at a turning point and must decide whether their growth, necessary to improve the livelihoods of close to 100 million people, will be achieved at the expense of forests and other natural resources.
CAFI support its partner countries in the difficult choices that are necessary when committing to pursue green, low emission development pathways.
How forests contribute to joint climate, biodiversity and national development objectives is set out in ambitious national investment frameworks that decouple development from deforestation. Such socio-economic transformation touches on many sectors and will come from measures that address both direct and indirect drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.
What we achieve
CAFI, set up in 2015 during the United Nations General Assembly, is both a policy dialogue platform and a Trust Fund. CAFI projects deliver concrete results across all sectors affecting forests. CAFI has catalysed transformative reforms in the agriculture, forest, energy, land use planning, land tenure sectors. As CAFI celebrates its 10 year anniversary in 2025, check out the 10 major breakthroughs we have catalysed.