The African Development Bank proposed convening a strategic side event on unlocking nature finance in Africa, focusing on the state of play, emerging opportunities, and practical pathways for stronger collaboration among multilateral development banks (MDBs).

The session brought together MDBs working across Africa, selected countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, and the Republic of the Congo, and regional partners, including the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, the Central African Forest Initiative, and the Great Green Wall.

The discussion examined how to mobilize and scale nature finance across the continent, drawing lessons from existing instruments, country platforms, forest and biodiversity funds, and recent commitments such as the Belém Call to Action for the Congo Basin Forests, through which partners committed to mobilizing more than US$2.5 billion over five years to protect and sustainably manage Congo Basin forests.

The event identified opportunities for MDB coordination around investment pipelines, blended finance, policy reforms, carbon and biodiversity markets, safeguards, and country-led investment platforms to translate political commitments into bankable nature-positive investments.