Congo-Brazzaville has this Friday planted over 200,000 trees as part of launching a UN forest decade a year early.
Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of DRC, Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, and their host Sassou Ngueso are participating in the ceremony.
President Nguesso started the Republic of Congo tree planting at a forest block near Ignié and a site by the Maloukou Tréchot industrial zone.
It should be noted that November 6th is national tree planting day in The Republic of Congo.
Rosalie Matondo minister of forest economy has described the launch as a call to action, and a youth programme tied to the decade begins the same day.
UN Forest Decade
The UN General Assembly proclaimed the decade in resolution 79/283 on 16 April 2025, by 155 votes to 1 with no abstentions.
It runs from 2027 to 2036 and is formally called the UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation in line with Sustainable Forest Management.
Uzbekistan introduced the resolution, and more than 80 countries backed it as co-sponsors.
The global launch is planned for 2027, so the Republic of Congo’s event comes a year ahead of the formal start, the minister said.
Congo Basin Forests Matter
On Monday 19 October, Environment Minister Arlette Soudan-Nonault opened a workshop on the investment plan for the country’s third climate pledge, known as NDC 3.0.
Experts put its cost at about US$8.88 billion for 2026 to 2035.
The UN resident coordinator in the country, Abdourahamane Diallo, said Congolese forests store carbon and give the world an invaluable service.
He called on the international community and climate funds to pay a fair share in return.
