The World Bank Group approved on March 31, 2026, a financing package of $394.8 million, approximately CFAF 224.3 billion, to support the development of the forest economy in Cameroon, Congo, and the Central African Republic. This initiative falls under the first phase of the Sustainable Forest Economies in the Congo Basin Program (SCBFEP).
The main objective of this program is to improve the sustainable management of forests and strengthen the value chains in the forestry sector. It also aims to create approximately 220,000 jobs in the three beneficiary countries. The World Bank emphasizes that this first phase is part of a larger $1.02 billion program designed to harness the economic, climatic, and social benefits of the Congo Basin, which is the second-largest tropical forest biome in the world. The institution insists that sustainable economic development and responsible forest management must go hand in hand.
Operationally, the program plans to place nearly 8 million hectares of forests under sustainable management, contributing to an annual reduction of 17.6 million tons of CO2 emissions. It also aims to increase the share of legally processed timber by 15%, while actively supporting community forestry enterprises, agroforestry systems, and processing zones dedicated to SMEs.
More than 500 SMEs and 20,000 people, 40% of whom are women, are expected to directly benefit from this initiative through training, financing, and adapted infrastructure. In addition, over 7,000 young people will be supported in entrepreneurial initiatives. Chakib Jenane, the World Bank's Regional Director for the Planet, sees this program as a major step forward for the Congo Basin, highlighting its potential to create jobs, increase incomes, and strengthen the resilience of millions of people through increased legal timber production, better governance, and investments in skills and business development. The program specifically targets marginalized communities, indigenous peoples, and forest-dependent populations.
Through this program, the World Bank reaffirms its commitment to the sustainable management of the Congo Basin's forests, recognizing their essential role in climate regulation, biodiversity preservation, and support for local economies.
