One Forest Vision (OFVi) was fully involved in the event, particularly in Panel 1 – Science, conservation and the fight against environmental crime, a key moment that highlighted the importance of scientific research in the sustainable management of tropical forests.

Panel 1 – Science, conservation and combating environmental crime

Speakers: Prof. Alfred Ngomanda (CENAREST, OFVi), Prof. Adeline Fayolle (Cirad, OFVi), Dr. Jean-Jacques Braun (IRD, OFVi) and Colonel Bertrand Oloumbou Opebi (APERN) Moderator: Prof. Marjolaine Okanga-Guay - UOB

The first panel, to which representatives of the One Forest Vision initiative made a key contribution, highlighted three key priorities for the future of forestry research in the Congo Basin.

First major conclusion: strengthen local science and capacity.
The panellists highlighted the lack of reliable data on forest ecosystems in the Congo Basin and the need for sustainable investment in science. They stressed the urgent need to train a new generation of researchers in Central Africa who are capable of producing science that is rooted in the territories and essential to sustainable forest management.

 “In Belém, one figure stood out: 6,000 active researchers in the Amazon. According to the 2025 SPCB SDSN-UN assessment report, there are 110 in Central Africa. That is the reality. OFVi is already taking action: six targeted and supervised theses in Gabon, six in Congo, and a cohort in preparation in the DRC. ” Dr Jean-Jacques Braun (IRD, OFVi)

Second conclusion: improve inter-institutional coordination.
According to stakeholders, it is essential to strengthen synergies between regional initiatives (OFVi, CBSI, PANGEA, APERN) and research and conservation networks (R2FAC, Task Force Mamba Vert), with Gabonese institutions (ANPN, AGEOS, CENAREST, universities) (,and   Partnership for the Forests of the Congo Basin and the Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SDSN-UN) SPCB  and the. This coordination will enable us to speak with one voice to donors and strengthen regional scientific credibility.

"The Belém Call mobilises $2.5 billion for Central Africa, 10% of which is dedicated to science and capacity building. To access this funding, there is one condition: speaking with one voice and demonstrating credible coordination. This is the mission of OFVi, alongside CBSI, SPCB/SDSN and all our partners. Prof. Alfred Ngomanda (CENAREST, OFVi)

Third conclusion: putting data and digital technology to work in the field.
The panellists emphasised the need to make data accessible to local communities, administrations and managers. Digital transformation must become a concrete lever for conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development. With these contributions, One Forest Vision reiterated that public science remains an indispensable pillar for guiding public forestry policies.

« Verbatim Adeline »  Adeline FAYOLLE (CIRAD, OFVi)

Panel 2 – Sustainable forest management and natural resource development

Speakers: Nathalie NYARE ESSIMA, Director of WWF (panel leader) Maurice NTOSSUI ALLOGO, Minister of Water and Forests, responsible for Human-Wildlife Conflict, Marc ONA, Senator, President of the NGO Brainforest and President of the Gabonese-French Friendship Group in the Senate, and Pierre François MERLIN, Deputy Director of the Compagnie des Bois du Gabon

The second panel explored issues related to the sustainable management of natural capital and the promotion of forestry sectors. Speakers highlighted the need to adapt legal frameworks, particularly with a view to the voluntary carbon market, and to develop responsible value chains, including certification of Gabonese timber and non-timber forest products. One notable proposal was the creation of a Gabonese environmental label to guarantee traceability, support good practices and increase the competitiveness of products from tropical forests.

Panel 3 – Innovative financing and long-term prospects

Speakers: Yasmine Tchoua, Managing Director of the Gabonese Biodiversity Preservation Fund (panel leader), Stephen MOUBA, Director of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Gabon, Matteo CANTORO, Director of the Country Packages Seed Fund, Cécile ABADIE, Ambassador of the European Union, Grégoire LEJONC, Head of the Forests Project Team at AFD

The third panel focused on the financing mechanisms needed to support the commitments made by Gabon and the region. Among the major announcements highlighted by the Minister was the signing of a letter of intent to finalise, within 90 days, an agreement worth nearly $200 million dedicated to the Community Development and Conservation Plan. Discussions also highlighted the rise of the Gabon Country Package, designed to structure access to international financing, as well as the importance of the Belém Call, which provides $2.5 billion for Central African forests. Speakers emphasised the need for transparent governance, better traceability of investments and solidly constructed projects to ensure the effectiveness of climate finance.

Presidential closing ceremony: a joint message from France and Gabon in support of forests

Presidents Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema and Emmanuel Macron jointly closed the Forest Session, reaffirming the strategic importance of the Congo Basin. 

"For more than fifty years, Gabon has borne the cost of preserving its forests alone and without financial compensation. This situation is no longer acceptable. Environmental protection must now be based on a genuine economic rationale that creates value for those who conserve this natural capital. Thanks to our joint efforts, the Belém Appeal marks a historic step forward. But it is now up to us to implement it fully, by building an inclusive economy based on natural capital. Together, let us reconcile environmental impact and economic impact: let us train a green generation of more than 250 experts, strengthen the fight against environmental crime, structure the Country Package and promote the sustainable use of our forests. Less talk, more action. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, President of the Gabonese Republic

"I am very happy to return to Gabon a little over two years after the first One Forest Summit. Together, we launched an international initiative that led to the Belém Call. Gabon is a pioneer: 24 million hectares of forest, 22% of its territory protected, and one of the only countries in the world to have virtually never deforested. Preserving the forests of the Congo Basin is essential: they are home to unique biodiversity, capture massive amounts of CO₂ and are one of the last natural barriers to global warming. Thanks to the joint efforts of our two countries, the Belém Call commits USD 2.5 billion over five years to the region. Our responsibility is now clear: to turn this momentum into action, strengthen science, combat environmental crime, support a sustainable timber industry and develop innovative financing — from the ‘Country Package’ to biodiversity credits. The One Forest Vision, which I encountered in Belém, embodies this exemplary scientific cooperation that we must amplify. This partnership between France and Gabon is a model, and we will continue to deepen it in a spirit of solidarity, friendship and shared success. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic 

Two years after the One Forest Summit held in Libreville, the Forest Sequence on 24 November confirmed the need to strengthen science, institutional coordination, training, data collection and sustainable financing mechanisms to preserve the forests of the Congo Basin.

Through its role in Panel 1 and its ongoing commitments, One Forest Vision reaffirms its mission: to put science at the heart of public decision-making, strengthen regional capacities and support the states of the Congo Basin in moving towards sustainable, equitable and resilient management of their tropical forests.