KINSHASA, June 6, 2025 — The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has received $19.47 million for reducing 3.89 million tons of carbon emissions through efforts to protect and restore forests in the Mai-Ndombe province. The payment comes from the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and marks the first under a broader agreement that could unlock up to $55 million for reducing 11 million tons of emissions. A significant share of the funds will go to local communities and Indigenous Peoples who are helping lead forest conservation efforts on the ground.
Once independently verified, these emission reductions are issued as carbon credits. Besides the credits paid for by the World Bank, the DRC will receive 1.7 million credits that are available for the government to bring to the market as high-quality carbon credits. This offers a valuable opportunity to attract private buyers, expand successful activities, and further advance DRC’s climate and development goals.
The Jurisdictional Emission Reductions Program focuses on the Mai-Ndombe province, home to some of the most biodiverse forests in the world and a critical part of the Congo Basin — the world’s largest net carbon sink. The program promotes a green development model that balances poverty reduction, natural resource conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate change mitigation, while offering sustainable alternatives to deforestation.
The program is expected to benefit over 120,000 people—including women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples—by promoting sustainable forest management and agroforestry to strengthen livelihoods. It will bring 400,000 hectares under sustainable landscape management, create economic opportunities through forest value chains and ecotourism, and generate around 2,000 local jobs. In addition, it will support provincial institutions with infrastructure investments in eight territories and rehabilitate over 900 kilometers of rural roads to boost connectivity and economic inclusion.
“This achievement reflects the determination of the Democratic Republic of Congo to manage our forests responsibly and create opportunities for our people,” said Eve Bazaiba Masudi, Minister of State, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, DRC. “The Mai-Ndombe program is not only helping us protect vital ecosystems but also providing direct benefits to communities and strengthening local livelihoods. We look forward to working with partners to expand these successes and ensure that carbon markets work for DRC and its people.”
To ensure the funding reaches those doing the work on the ground, the DRC government developed a transparent and inclusive Benefit Sharing Plan in close consultation with local stakeholders. The plan outlines how carbon payments will be distributed fairly among local communities, Indigenous Peoples, customary authorities, and other local partners within the Mai-Ndombe jurisdiction, with particular attention to forest-dependent and vulnerable groups such as women and youth.
“We congratulate the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on this important milestone,” said Albert G. Zeufack, World Bank Division Director for the Democratic Republic of Congo. “This payment recognizes the country’s progress in protecting its forests and creating new opportunities for communities. The Mai-Ndombe program is a test case of how finance can support local development, strengthen resilience, and deliver tangible benefits to the people who depend on the forest most.”
“The Improved Forested Landscape Management Project laid the groundwork for more sustainable land and forest practices in the DRC, and these efforts are now bearing fruit,” said Patrice Savadogo, Senior Forestry Specialist at the World Bank. “The Mai-Ndombe Emission Reductions Program builds on that foundation to generate measurable results—reducing emissions while supporting local livelihoods—thereby contributing meaningfully to the country’s ambition to offer global climate solutions.”
