Kinshasa, 2025 October 22nd
The Société de Développement Forestier (SODEFOR) and Kongo Forest Based Solutions (KFBS) have been honored with a prestigious invitation to represent the forest sector of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the international symposium on the implementation of the Paris Agreement in Sub-Saharan Africa, held in Kinshasa. This large-scale event, organized by the National Pedagogical University (UPN), in collaboration with CRID, the Observatory on the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, WWF, ICCN, FAO, AFD and other partners, brought together experts, institutions and companies committed to the fight against climate change.
Signed in 2015 at COP21, the Paris Agreement brings together nearly 200 parties around a common goal: to limit global warming to well below 2°C, while pursuing efforts to contain it to 1.5°C. The DRC, as a signatory, is committed to aligning its policies and actions with these objectives, including through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
In this context, SODEFOR and the conservation company KFBS presented their concrete initiatives that are fully in line with the requirements of the Paris Agreement. For several decades, SODEFOR has been working to protect the forests of the Congo Basin by implementing sustainable management practices. A transition to a green economy has resulted in ambitious conservation actions carried out by KFBS, which strengthen the ecological and social resilience of forest territories.
KFBS thus embodies the continuity of SODEFOR's environmental commitment, while integrating improvement programs oriented towards modernity, in close collaboration with local communities. Its ambition is to consolidate the achievements while innovating in the approaches of conservation, sustainable development and harmonious cohabitation between man and the forest.
A strong social commitment: education and health at the heart of the priorities
Beyond their environmental role, SODEFOR and KFBS also stand out for their deep commitment to human development in the DRC. Convinced that the fight against climate change cannot be done without local communities, true guardians of forests and main actors in their preservation, SODEFOR and KFBS place their well-being and active participation at the heart of their actions, particularly in the education and health sectors.
A well-deserved recognition
The participation of SODEFOR and KFBS in this symposium testifies to their central role in the fight against climate change in the DRC. Despite the many challenges related to environmental governance, economic pressures and social issues, these two companies demonstrate that a strong, structured and sustainable commitment is possible. Their active contribution to the objectives of the NDC and their alignment with the principles of the Paris Agreement position them today as key players in responsible forest development in the Democratic Republic of Congo.