Changing the narrative
A key theme that was highlighted during the discussions was that the Congo Basin and its forests remain poorly understood internationally, including within Africa itself. There is limited awareness both of their importance for the Earth’s climate and life-support systems, and of their immense potential for supporting resilient, thriving economies. Rather, the predominant narrative for the region is one of poverty, instability and conflict, feeding into perceptions that investing in the region is too risky or that there are limited opportunities for the international community to support change.
There is huge potential to weave a different narrative, one that can bring together the needs for both forest conservation and sustainable development: the importance of the Congo Basin forests as a global carbon sink, as a source of rainfall for large parts of Africa, as the home of immense biodiversity, as the source of livelihoods for millions of rural people. There is also a need to provide positive stories, focused on how people and businesses are transforming lives, and on new scientific discoveries. These need to be based on robust evidence and rooted in the priorities of people living and working in the region.
Highlighting the opportunities for business in the region will also be important. Implementing a strategy for the region and its economy to establish a brand for sustainable, quality timber and other products from the Congo Basin could help attract investment and drive ambition and growth.
Any framing will need to be carefully developed, to ensure its accuracy and credibility. Further, there is value in testing out narratives with different audiences, to identify the best entry points, which are often not those that are assumed.
Any strategy must avoid creating competition between the different forest regions. Achieving positive outcomes for the world’s forests will be best achieved by those from the different forested regions working collaboratively. In particular, in preparing for COP30, it will be important to engage with Brazil and to work together towards ambitious outcomes for tropical forests, and to progress the agenda of indigenous peoples and local communities.
Existing regional institutions and networks should work to develop a vision for the region, including both government institutions, namely, the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) and The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC), as well as civil society networks, including REPALEAC, the Network of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for the Sustainable Management of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa.
Strengthening & building a constituency within the Congo Basin
Within the region, while many people depend on its forests for their livelihoods, awareness of their global importance and of the potential for alternative economic models is mixed. Deeper engagement with all stakeholders and the wider public will help to explore future directions for the region and build consensus around these.
It is important to maintain and strengthen grassroots constituencies through empowering local communities and Indigenous Peoples. Facilitating community forums and implementing environmental education programmes could assist in this regard. Harnessing the energy and expertise of civil society is also important, including through enabling their participation in policy platforms and facilitating civil society monitors. Additionally, academia and local and traditional expertise could be mobilised, and this knowledge disseminated through public data portals.
The private sector is another important partner, as they have a role in supporting nature-based solutions and the green economy. This could be facilitated through establishing forums for sustainable business for example.
Finally, the important role of storytelling was emphasised and of engaging with the arts. The media has a critical role to play. As well as supporting transparency and accountability, the media can help to bring people together, provide a platform for marginalised groups and support education. The local media can play an important role in supporting these goals as it often has a strong commitment to serve its community and could be supported through training and through ensuring access to stories.