Banjul, The Gambia - The Chair of the UN Committee on Forestry (COFO) for the 28th Session, Mr. Pierre Taty from the Republic of the Congo has warned, calling on governments to accelerate action on rural empowerment, transparent forest data, and cross-sector collaboration to halt accelerating deforestation.
He cautioned that drivers originating outside the forestry sector including agricultural expansion, extractive activities and competing land uses continue to erode Africa’s Forest cover, even as the value of forest goods and ecosystem services continues to grow.
“The threats are clear, but so are the solutions,” Pierre said. “Countries are strengthening agroforestry, building sustainable value chains and investing in bio-economy forestry projects that are already taking root.”
According to Pierre, these home-grown efforts are demonstrating that properly managed forests can boost food security, strengthen rural livelihoods and enhance climate resilience for millions of people.
Looking ahead, Mr. Pierre outlined three strategic priorities set to shape Africa’s forestry agenda. First, he emphasized the need to empower rural communities and small-scale producers by expanding their access to information, technology, and capacity-building opportunities.
Second, he called for strengthened forest monitoring and reporting systems to ensure reliable and timely data that can underpin evidence-based decision-making. Third, he highlighted the importance of promoting policy coherence, particularly between the forestry and agriculture sectors, noting that halting deforestation “is not the responsibility of one sector alone.”
A new publication released during the session underscores this point, highlighting how high-quality, transparent data can ease reporting burdens while enabling governments to track progress and align policies more effectively.
Pierre urged African governments and technical bodies to ensure that the recommendations emerging from AFWC25 are carried forward into other regional decision-making platforms, including the 34th FAO Regional Conference for Africa scheduled for 2026 in North Africa.
“Africa’s forests are a cornerstone of rural development,” he said. “Our partnerships will be crucial in reversing deforestation and securing a sustainable future.”
He concluded by thanking delegates for their leadership and commitment, expressing confidence that the momentum built in Banjul would translate into stronger continental action.
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