CAFI is an innovative partnership of donors, partner countries and international partners, namely UNDP, FAO and Worldbank. The objective of the initiative is preserve the value of the Central African forests to mitigate climate change, reduce poverty, and contribute to sustainable development.

The United Nations Developement Programme is please to announce that the Central  African Forest Initiative (CAFI) will be launched at a high-level event scheduled to take place alongside the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, 29 September 2015, between 7:00 – 8:00 pm, at the Convene (located at 730 3rd Avenue, New York City).

Home to the world’s second largest rainforest and a stunning array of biodiversity, it is essential that Central Africa be at the forefront of the climate change agenda. The region has a unique opportunity to create country-specific development pathways which avoid deforestation and accelerate progress to achieve sustainable development goals through conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Many countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo have expressed their readiness to act to protect their forests and are calling on the international community to provide the necessary support.

In response, leading donor countries are teaming up with key multi and bi-lateral development agencies, like yours, to help enable critical forest countries to succeed. CAFI provides mechanisms to coordinate this support and ensure it is driven by demand in the sub-region. Central African countries that have developed investment frameworks which incentivize sustainable development and address the drivers of forest degradation, deforestation, and poverty, can use CAFI to request and coordinate international support.