(Business in Cameroon) – The Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC) has held a preparatory investor meeting at the COP30 climate summit to help finance the first priority project portfolio of the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin (F2BC). The portfolio includes 43 projects with a total estimated cost of $3.6 billion.
The aim of the meeting was to present a structured, bankable set of projects in order to secure donor commitments ahead of the next milestones. The 43 projects selected for this first priority program are designed to support conservation efforts, economic development and resilience for communities across the Congo Basin.
Member countries of the Congo Basin Climate Commission (CCBC) — including Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo — participated in the meeting, signaling strong political and technical engagement in the initiative led by BDEAC.
According to the organizers, 77% of the projects in the portfolio are national and 23% are regional. All were reviewed against strict environmental and social criteria. They are considered ready for funding and implementation, a key requirement for donors who focus on the quality and bankability of climate projects.
Confirmation of financing commitments is expected at the next donor roundtable, scheduled for May 2026 in Brazzaville alongside the African Development Bank’s annual meetings. This step is intended to turn the momentum generated in Belem into concrete pledges, following the preparatory work undertaken by BDEAC and CCBC member states.
The F2BC ultimately aims to mobilize more than $10 billion to support all its programs. It is presented as an innovative mechanism for promoting sustainable development initiatives in the 17 CCBC member countries, combining national and regional projects designed to generate strong leverage effects.
As manager of the Fund, BDEAC plays a central role in the initiative’s financial architecture. It is responsible for structuring projects, channeling resources from technical and financial partners, and overseeing implementation.
By linking sustainable natural-resource management, resilient infrastructure, productive sectors such as fishing and ecotourism, and investments in research and environmental health, the F2BC aims to drive long-term economic transformation in Congo Basin countries.
BDEAC’s position as the operational hub of the mechanism provides the region’s governments with a shared tool for negotiation and implementation, potentially giving them greater influence in the global competition for climate finance. The success of this first $3.6 billion portfolio will serve as a crucial test of credibility for the entire Blue Fund for the Congo Basin platform.
Amina Malloum
