The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership and funded by the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), is implementing the Pro-Congo project, a regional initiative designed to mobilize private sector investment in nature-positive enterprises across the Congo Basin.
Running from 2025 to 2029, the programme operates in four Central African countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon.
Pro-Congo combines UNEP’s venture development and pipeline-building capabilities with UNCDF’s catalytic finance mandate to bridge the gap between early-stage enterprise support and investment readiness in one of the world’s most underfinanced regions.
The programme aims to unlock investment for Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that promote sustainable land use, reduce deforestation, protect biodiversity and generate economic opportunities for local communities. Through blended finance instruments and targeted technical assistance, Pro-Congo supports MSMEs in scaling commercially viable business models in sustainable agriculture, forestry, clean/renewable energy and ecotourism. UNCDF helps de-risk high-potential MSMEs by providing concessional finance that addresses market barriers, improves the risk-return profile of investments, and enables private capital to enter sectors and geographies that are often perceived as too risky. In doing so, the programme helps crowd in additional investment, strengthen market systems, and expand access to finance across the Congo Basin.
Mobilizing private sector investment for nature-positive enterprises in the Congo Basin
The Congo Basin is the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, spanning more than 200 million hectares and storing over 30 billion tonnes of carbon. It supports the livelihoods of more than 75 million people and hosts exceptional biodiversity.
Despite its global importance, the region faces increasing pressures from unsustainable agriculture, logging, charcoal production and infrastructure development. Limited access to green finance continues to constrain local enterprises seeking to adopt sustainable and deforestation-free practices.
The Pro-Congo project aims to address these challenges by mobilizing catalytic finance and strengthening the pipeline of sustainable enterprises capable of delivering both environmental and economic benefits.
Key interventions
Pro-Congo will support enterprises across five priority sectors that contribute to forest protection and sustainable economic development:
- sustainable agriculture and agro-industry through deforestation-free supply chains and agro-processing infrastructure;
- renewable energy solutions that reduce reliance on wood energy;
- sustainable forestry and timber processing based on certified forest management;
- landscape restoration and reforestation through agroforestry and forest plantations;
- ecotourism initiatives that generate sustainable income while supporting conservation and local communities.
Results and expected impact
The programme aims to catalyse a new generation of local nature-positive businesses capable of delivering measurable environmental and social outcomes across Central Africa, including strengthened forest conservation and biodiversity protection, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, job creation and improved livelihoods for local communities, expanded renewable energy solutions in forest landscapes, and increased private investment in nature-based enterprises.
