The Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment Partnerships Activity is a proposed initiative by USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congo to address biodiversity loss, forest degradation, and climate change mitigation across the Congo Basin. USAID aims to strengthen regional efforts by improving coordination, capacity building, and innovative solutions to mitigate the drivers of biodiversity loss while promoting sustainable development.

The proposed activity focuses on four key objectives. The first objective is to strengthen CARPE’s results and achievements by improving monitoring, evaluation, and communication efforts across its programs. This includes enhanced learning, adaptive management, and strengthened communications through investigative journalism and improved outreach. The second objective aims to build the capacity of civil society organizations and increase private sector investment in forest and wildlife conservation. This involves supporting green enterprises, improving policies for sustainable value chains, and awarding grants to catalyze scalable solutions.

The third objective focuses on combating wildlife trafficking at national and regional levels by strengthening law enforcement networks and supporting international and civil society organizations to catalyze government action. The fourth objective emphasizes developing sustainable finance mechanisms for forest and wildlife conservation, including frameworks to implement Nationally Determined Contributions, innovative finance mechanisms, and mobilizing climate financial resources.

USAID is seeking comments and input from organizations to refine the activity’s design. Respondents are encouraged to provide feedback on the draft results framework, including its feasibility, areas for improvement, and approaches for achieving measurable impacts. Specific questions address the inclusion of civil society organizations, approaches to strengthening law enforcement for wildlife trafficking, and mechanisms to promote sustainable financing. USAID also requests suggestions for integrating research findings, best practices, and lessons learned into activity implementation.

The challenges facing biodiversity and forests in the Congo Basin are complex, including armed conflict, unsustainable land use practices, artisanal mining, charcoal production, and wildlife trafficking. The new activity seeks to address these issues through regional collaboration, innovative solutions, and capacity building. Respondents are encouraged to submit concise, targeted feedback to help USAID maximize CARPE’s effectiveness and sustainability.

Submissions must be sent via email to drcoaa@usaid.gov and cnchangu@usaid.gov no later than January 6, 2025, at 5:30 PM Kinshasa local time. Responses should be limited to a maximum of ten pages and will help shape the final program design. USAID emphasizes that this request for information is not a solicitation or commitment to fund any organization but rather an opportunity to gather industry insights and expertise to inform the development of this critical initiative for the Congo Basin.