New York, 24 September 2025 – CAFI marked its 10-year anniversary today during Climate Week NYC with a high-level event entitled “CAFI – 10 Years, 10 Breakthroughs.” The celebration brought together 7 ministers from the DRC, Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Congo, France and Gabon and the UNDP Administrator.

Together with senior officials, and international partners, they reflected on a decade of achievements in protecting the world’s second largest rainforest and supporting sustainable development in Central Africa.

A Decade of Impact
Since its establishment in 2015, CAFI has become more than an environmental program: it is a strategic platform for collective action to protect Central African forests, mobilise resources, and align development with climate and biodiversity goals

“CAFI is one of the most dynamic and strategic funds under the MPTFO, providing a platform for collective action to protect Central Africa’s forests, align global aspirations with local needs, and serve as a funding mechanism for innovative approaches that benefit both people and ecosystems. It is not only a conservation tool but also a driver of development and social progress.” said Alain Noudehou, Executive Director of the MPTFO. 

High-Level Dialogue

The celebration featured a high-level panel, where ministers highlighted CAFI’s successes, lessons learned, and the path forward.

• The Democratic Republic of Congo Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and the new Climate Economy Professor Marie Nyange Ndambo reflected on how CAFI strengthened the country’s policy reform process, , including the first land-use planning law, land tenure policy, agricultural policy improving food security, and an energy policy linked to the Inga 3 hydropower project, leading to sustainable land use and forest protection, and emphasised the need for national access to the CAFI Fund.

• Niels Annen, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany emphasized the Initiative’s success in mobilising significant funding and partnerships with CAFI growing from three founding donors in 2015 to ten today, with nearly US$1 billion collectively committed. “CAFI is a partnership that delivers,” he said, “thanks to the blend of global commitment, measurable impact, and local empowerment.”

• Mary Creagh, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Nature of the United Kingdom, as current Chair, calling the Central African forest “too big to fail”, highlighted lessons learned that will guide CAFI’s future priorities

• The Republic of Congo Minister of Forest Economy, Mrs Rosalie Matondo, shared her visions for enhancing impact, scaling innovation, and setting new priorities such as payments for environmental services.

• The Minister of Planning and Forward Studies of Gabon, Louise Pierrette Mvono, expressed deep gratitude for CAFI’s support, noting that it enabled Gabon to pilot and mobilize groundbreaking results-based payments. She emphasized that CAFI’s alignment with Gabon’s national growth and development plans ensures that conservation efforts and payments for environmental services directly support economic inclusivity.

The event also included the launch of a new report showcasing CAFI’s ten most significant breakthroughs, by Mr Haoliang XU, acting UNDP Administrator, who underscored CAFI’s role as a  model for multilateral partnerships that bridge climate action and development. He praised CAFI’s ability to translate financing into tangible impacts for the 75 million people whose livelihoods depend on forests, citing innovations such as results-based payments, environmental service schemes, and catalytic private investment.