More than $3 billion in international funding has been pledged to support 63 low-carbon projects in the Congo Basin, one of the world’s most important carbon sinks, during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group African Development Bank Group in Brazzaville.
The commitments were announced at a high-level roundtable supporting the Congo Basin Blue Fund, a regional climate finance mechanism designed to mobilize investment for forest conservation, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development across Central Africa. The initiative targets a broader pipeline of 70 priority projects valued at $5.72 billion.
The funding effort is focused on the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon, spanning Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The region plays a critical global role as a massive carbon sink, storing billions of tons of carbon and supporting the livelihoods of tens of millions of people.
Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who also chairs the Congo Basin Climate Commission, emphasized that the new commitments mark a significant step toward fulfilling the mandate of the Blue Fund and advancing regional climate resilience and sustainable development goals.
The African Development Bank Group, under President Sidi Ould Tah, pledged $250 million in preliminary financing to support implementation of climate and low-carbon infrastructure projects in the region. The Bank emphasized that countries in the Congo Basin cannot bear the financial burden of global climate protection alone and require stronger international burden-sharing.
Additional financing commitments were made by multiple development partners, including contributions from the World Bank Group World Bank Group, the Green Climate Fund Green Climate Fund, and regional financial institutions, reinforcing a coordinated push toward large-scale climate investment in Central Africa.
The Blue Fund is positioned as the main financial instrument of the Congo Basin Climate Commission, aimed at accelerating ecological transition projects that combine environmental protection with economic development. It supports initiatives aligned with African Union development priorities and broader regional climate strategies.
Beyond conservation, the funding is expected to support infrastructure development, green growth, and sustainable livelihoods, while strengthening the region’s role as a global climate stabilizer. The initiative reflects growing international recognition of the Congo Basin’s strategic importance in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
