About the event

23, 25 and 26 September 2025 – Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

The United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat (UNFFS), in collaboration with the Government of Guinea-Bissau and partners, is convening a national capacity-building and validation workshop on forest financing. The event will take place on 23, 25 and 26 September 2025 in Bissau.

Objective

The workshop aims to strengthen national capacity to design and finalise a National Forest Financing Strategy (NFFS) for Guinea-Bissau. This includes identifying priority actions for sustainable forest management (SFM), mapping potential financing sources, and developing strategies to mobilise domestic and international resources. The workshop will also validate the draft NFFS, incorporating measures to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the forest sector and to accelerate socio-economic recovery and inclusive sustainable development.

Programme

The three-day programme features plenary discussions and working groups focused on:

• Situational analysis of Guinea-Bissau’s forest sector and financing needs
• Introduction to the Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN) and the four-step approach to developing NFFS
• Review and refinement of the draft NFFS, including financing requirements and opportunities
• Mapping of national, international, and innovative funding sources for SFM
• Strategies for developing bankable projects and creating enabling policy and institutional frameworks
• Validation of the draft NFFS and agreement on next steps for integration into national forest programmes and action plans

Participants

The workshop will bring together approximately 40 participants, including representatives from:

• Government agencies and national institutions
• International organisations and development partners
• Civil society organisations
• Academia and research institutions
• Private sector stakeholders

Background

Forests play a crucial role in Guinea-Bissau’s sustainable development, contributing to poverty eradication, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. However, insufficient financing remains a major barrier to implementing SFM. By supporting Guinea-Bissau in finalising its NFFS, the workshop contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 and the achievement of the forest-related Sustainable Development Goals.

Read the concept note.