The GEF-funded Congo Basin Integrated Programme, comprises both the GEF-7 Congo Basin Impact Programme running from 2021-2026, and the GEF-8 Congo Critical Forest Biome Integrated Programme expected to run from 2025-2030. The main aim of these two GEF-funded initiatives is to catalyse Transformational change in conservation and sustainable management of critical forests in transboundary and national landscapes of the Congo Basin.
Together with partners, UNEP is tackling deforestation and forest degradation by working with local communities to develop integrated transboundary land use management plans that are based on natural capital accounting and systems thinking. Forestry management supports healthy ecosystems.  Studies have shown, for example, that there are a higher number of large mammals in forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) in Gabon and the Republic of Congo, compared to non-FSC-certified forests.

Addressing wildlife crime and strengthening zoonotic disease surveillance systems. At the political level, the project works with partners and stakeholders to enhance the regional capacity for addressing wildlife crime by collaborating with government officials to deepen the integration of conservation of endangered species into regional development processes. On the ground, additional forest rangers are being trained, for example, to monitor the illegal killing of elephants, and local communities are being trained around sustainable agriculture practices. In real terms, this means more secure and extensive habitats to support stable and/or increasing populations of endangered species, such as the forest elephant and great apes.

Supporting robust long-term zoonotic disease surveillance systems in the transboundary area where Cameroon, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo meet (TNS Landscape) is also a focus. Data and information is being collected and analysed around the occurrence, distribution, and determinants of diseases transmitted between humans.

Private sector investment and links to scale up market access is being fostered between the private sector and indigenous peoples, local communities (IPLCs) and forest-dependent people.   Key activities include opening up access to markets and linking with the private sector to scale up access to markets and increase private sector investment. For example, in the cocoa sector, a digital platform that matches private sector investors with communities will improve access to financing for local communities.

Coordination and communication across countries and partners is being enhanced by the establishment of a coordination field office in Kinshasa and the development of a knowledge management platform. The online knowledge management system will enable stakeholders to use knowledge generated through the project for sustainable forest management actions on-the-ground. It will also strengthen policy planning and analysis by providing science-based information around the impacts of climate change on Congo Basin. 

As part of GEF 8, the Congo Basin Sustainable Landscapes Programme will focus on continuing the work begun under GEF7 to improve the conservation and effective governance of critical landscapes in the Congo Basin Forest Biome. Forest biomes are characterised by vegetation with densely growing trees, thus leading to a closed, or nearly so,canopy cover (biome).. The geography will cover (in alphabetical order) Angola, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé et Principe.

For additional information about the work being funded as part of GEF-7 under these themes in Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, please visit: Where we work.