• Côte d’Ivoire has begun preparing a national biodiversity financing plan to direct public and private funds toward environmental protection.

• The plan aims to mobilize about $5 billion between 2026 and 2030 to preserve forests, mangroves, and marine ecosystems.

• It will combine state budgets, private sector investment, and new tools such as green bonds and environmental funds.

The Ivorian government has launched the preparation of a National Biodiversity Financing Plan (PNFB) to mobilize and channel both public and private resources toward nature conservation.

A national dialogue held on October 2, 2025, in Abidjan brought together government agencies, private companies, civil society organizations, and development partners to assess the country’s biodiversity situation. The process aims to identify real funding needs and define financial tools to strengthen protection, especially in forest and coastal zones.

According to Jacques Konan Assahoré (pictured), Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, and Ecological Transition, biodiversity loss has become one of Côte d’Ivoire’s most pressing economic and ecological challenges. Over the past 50 years, the country has lost 95% of its mangroves and more than 80% of its forest cover in a century.

Despite this decline, Côte d’Ivoire remains one of West Africa’s richest biodiversity zones, home to national parks, protected forests, and marine ecosystems. However, these natural assets are under severe threat and remain largely underfunded. The financing needs for the 2026-2030 period are estimated at $5 billion.

The PNFB seeks to align public policies, national expenditures, and private resources under a unified financial framework. It will integrate priorities for ecosystem protection, climate adaptation, and sustainable resource management. The plan will rely on diversified financing sources, including government budgets, private contributions, international partnerships, and innovative instruments such as green bonds and environmental funds.

The October 2 dialogue also discussed expected outcomes, such as stronger coordination among stakeholders, greater transparency in fund allocation, and financial incentives for companies engaged in environmental protection. Through this initiative, Côte d’Ivoire aims to make biodiversity a central part of its economic strategy, turning natural resource protection into a driver of sustainable growth and climate resilience.

Several African countries have begun similar processes under the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) led by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Burkina Faso officially launched its BIOFIN program on September 18, 2025, while Burundi’s project is already under implementation through 2027. Cameroon began its financial diagnostic phase on July 29, 2025, in Yaoundé, and Niger has joined the initiative to assess financial flows, identify priority needs, and design innovative tools to close the biodiversity financing gap.