Republic of Congo Tree Planting Starts Nov 6
REPUBLIC OF CONGO · FORESTS AND CLIMATE
Key Facts
- The country The Republic of Congo, or Congo-Brazzaville, is a Central African nation with rainforest and peatlands.
- What happened On Friday 6 November, President Denis Sassou Nguesso launches a UN forest decade at Ignié.
- The planting More than 200,000 trees are to be planted on two sites in the Djoué-Léfini department.
- The guests The presidents of DR Congo, the Central African Republic and Burundi are due to attend.
- The price tag The country’s climate plan needs about US$8.88 billion between 2026 and 2035.
The Republic of Congo will launch a UN forest decade a year early with a mass planting at Ignié on Friday 6 November, ministers said. The Republic of Congo tree planting aims to put 200,000 trees in the ground on two sites.
President Denis Sassou Nguesso is to open the day, with three other African presidents due to attend, just days before the COP31 climate summit. The country seeks about US$8.88 billion for its climate plan, and our report on the oil economy gives the wider picture.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
Denis Sassou Nguesso is the president of the Republic of Congo, a Central African country of about 6.1 million people, also called Congo-Brazzaville. Rosalie Matondo is its minister of forest economy, and Thierry Lézin Moungalla is its minister of communication and media.
The Republic of Congo is not the Democratic Republic of Congo, its much larger neighbour across the Congo River, whose capital is Kinshasa. Afforestation means planting trees where there was no forest, and reforestation means replanting where forest has been lost.
The Republic of Congo Tree Planting on 6 November
Matondo and Moungalla announced the plan at a joint press conference in Brazzaville on Friday 30 October. Sassou Nguesso will start the Republic of Congo tree planting at a forest block near Ignié and a site by the Maloukou Tréchot industrial zone.
The ministers said the presidents of DR Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, and of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye, will attend. The vice president of Gabon and senior UN officials are also expected.
The date is the country’s National Tree Day, which the government counts as the 40th edition. Matondo called the launch a call to action, and a youth programme tied to the decade begins the same day.
What the UN Forest Decade Is
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.
Why 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.
On Tuesday 20 October, a second workshop reviewed national papers on peatlands, waterlogged soils that hold large stores of carbon. A survey of 242 households in 13 villages in the north recorded fewer fish and declines in 24 animal species, including gorillas.
Likouala is also the northern department where floods struck in October, as our report on the floods explains. The government said it wants to protect habitats and strengthen watch groups run by local communities.
What It Means for US Readers
The Republic of Congo tree planting is a start rather than a solution, since the climate plan alone costs US$8.88 billion. US readers who follow climate finance and carbon markets will watch for pledges as COP31 opens on Monday 9 November in Antalya, Türkiye.
Turkey’s ambassador in Brazzaville said on 29 October that Sassou Nguesso is expected at the leaders’ meeting on 11 and 12 November. Travellers should read our guide to entry rules for US visitors, and our report on the Moscow talks covers the politics.
What Is Not Known
The government has not said how much of the US$8.88 billion has been pledged, or which donors would pay. It gave no target beyond the 200,000 trees of the Republic of Congo tree planting, no tree species and no cost for the day.
No US delegation to the launch has been announced, and the guests’ attendance is confirmed only on the day. It is also not known how many trees from the Republic of Congo tree planting will survive, since no care or monitoring plan was named.
More: Africa news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Republic of Congo tree planting on 6 November?
President Denis Sassou Nguesso will launch the UN forest decade at Ignié and open a planting of 200,000 trees. The day is the country’s National Tree Day.
What is the UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation?
It is a UN decade from 2027 to 2036 that backs planting trees and restoring forests. The General Assembly adopted it on 16 April 2025 by 155 votes to 1.
How much does the Republic of Congo climate plan cost?
Experts put the cost of its third climate pledge, NDC 3.0, at about US$8.88 billion for 2026 to 2035. The government is asking donors and climate funds to help pay.
Is this the Democratic Republic of Congo?
No. This is the Republic of Congo, with its capital in Brazzaville, across the river from Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Does this matter to US readers?
The Republic of Congo tree planting matters for climate finance, carbon markets and the COP31 talks that open on 9 November. US travellers to Brazzaville should check entry rules.
Confused by the names? Our explainer on the Republic of Congo and DR Congo shows how the two countries differ. It explains the two capitals, the river border and what US visitors should know.
Sources: United Nations General Assembly, resolution 79/283: UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation in line with Sustainable Forest Management (2027-2036), 16 April 2025; Government of the Republic of Congo, Ministry of Forest Economy: press conference on National Tree Day and the UN decade launch, announced before 1 November 2026; Government of the Republic of Congo, Ministry of Environment: workshops on the NDC 3.0 investment plan (19 October) and on peatlands (20 October), 19 and 20 October 2026; United Nations Climate Change Conference COP31, Antalya: dates and presidency, 9 to 20 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief