DRC - Forest Investment Program of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Key challenges are linked to the overall weak level of institutional and technical capacity in DRC and to governance challenges in the forest sector (and other land use-related sectors), in addition to the need for inter-sectoral coordination which is an inherently complex goal to achieve, and to limited private sector interest in REDD-related activities in the country. The REDD+ process ingeneral requires substantial capacity at all levels due to its technical and institutional complexities. These needs are being addressed by the FCPF and UN-REDD support to REDD Readiness, and various other initiatives such as the World Bank Forest and Nature Conservation Project. Some of the governance challenges are being directly addressed by the FIP, such as contributing to the process of land tenure clarification in target intervention areas and supporting communities for managing forests. Inter-sectoral coordination should be ensured through the National Inter-ministerial Committee, but will require higher-level political support to this body. Finally, private sector engagement is being explicitly targeted by the FIP Investment Plan, which includes a number of activities aimed at removing some of the key barriers preventing private investment in REDD-related sectors.