9th Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative Regional Meeting from 6th to 7th May in Accra, Ghana

The Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative (ASCI) will be holding its 9th Regional meeting in Accra next month. ASCI is a collaborative platform for partnership in Central and West Africa involving governments, companies, local communities and NGOs. The Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative expands on the APOI principles signed at COP22 in Marrakesh in 2016 which acknowledged the role of agriculture as a driver of deforestation, whilst emphasising the critical role of forests and forest conservation in addressing climate change.

The 9th regional meeting with support from Solidaridad will involve more than 50 participants from 15 countries including representatives from government, civil society organisations, the private sector and actors from national and international organisations. ASCI is a unique partnership among 10 African countries - Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone - which together account for 25% of the world’s tropical forest, and 75% of Africa’s forests. Through ASCI, governments from the 10 countries committed to shared principles of responsible production of agricultural commodities that provide positive outcomes for people, nature and climate.

The ASCI won the Schwab Foundation Award for Collective Social Innovators of the Year 2025. The award was received on behalf of 10 ASCI member countries by Proforest’s Africa and Global Director, Abraham Baffoe at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos in January 2025.

Ten years following the inception of the ASCI (then Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 Africa Palm Oil Initiative), this 9th Regional Meeting will convene the community of practice leading initiatives to reduce deforestation through commodity production. The two day-meeting will bring together the global forest community to help accelerate action on sustainable agricultural practices.

Other objectives of the meeting include:

•  Share lessons from key challenges and opportunities of action plans' implementation. 
• Present country updates since the expansion of the TFA APOI into ASCI. 
• Review findings from the Oil Palm Investment Case Studies and tools for informing and influencing policy for developing deforestation – free oil palm sector.
• Provide opportunity for member countries to demonstrate how they are leveraging climate finance to improve production efficiency and the income of smallholders.

The meeting is expected to produce the following key outcomes:

• A comprehensive regional action plan outlining collaborative initiatives and timelines.
•  Enhanced capacity of countries to include strategies for including smallholders in agriculture commodity supply chains and in key areas of sustainable development.
• Strengthened regional networks and partnerships for collaboration.
• Increased awareness and understanding of the best practices and innovative approaches.
• Identification of potential investment and partnership opportunities

This regional meeting presents a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration and accelerate progress towards the Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative. By fostering knowledge sharing, building capacity, and developing joint strategies, participating countries can work together to create a more sustainable future for the region.