Africa Palm Oil Initiative Marrakesh Declaration +5

COP26 in Glasgow marked five years of progress towards sustainable palm oil development in Africa since the signing of the Marrakesh Declaration at CoP22. Ten countries that account for 75% of Africa’s forests form the Tropical Forest Alliance’s Africa Palm Oil Initiative (APOI): Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Edo State (Nigeria), Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. APOI has a vision of a prosperous palm oil industry that brings jobs and wealth to local communities in a way that is environmentally and socially sustainable and protects the rich tropical forests of the region.

Since 2016, the APOI has focused on strengthening the collaborative implementation of the Marrakesh Declaration, driven forward by the country teams. This report looks back at the progress that has been made in key areas, such as working with partners; protecting natural heritage using locally adapted tools including High Conservation Value (HCS), High Carbon Stock (HCS) and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC); protecting the rights of forest dependent communities; promoting gender equality; and supporting smallholder livelihoods. Furthermore, the importance of continuing momentum after COP26 is underscored in the form of continued action and investment.