# Governance Assessment: Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) & DRC’s National REDD+ Fund (FONAREDD) URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/governance-assessment-central-african-forest-initiative-cafi-drcs-national-redd-fund-fonaredd Type: Publication or report Published: 2020-10-07 Updated: 2020-10-07 --- 07 October 2020 [Résumé en français](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/French-executive-summary-%C3%89valuation-De-La-Gouvernance-CAFI-et-FONAREDD.pdf) The Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), is an initiative launched during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 29 September 2015 to support strategic, country-level REDD+ and Low Emission Development investments focusing on Central African countries with high forest cover. CAFI aims to support governments in six Central African countries to implement reforms and enhance investments to conserve and sustainably use forest resources in the Congo Basin. Through these efforts, CAFI seeks to protect forests in the region in order to mitigate climate change, preserve biodiversity, reduce poverty among forest-dependent populations, and contribute to sustainable development. However, corruption threatens to undermine these objectives. If corruption and its drivers are left unchecked and undetected, support to CAFI’s intended beneficiaries is threatened, ultimately causing irreversible harm to the second largest tropical rainforest in the world. This report assesses the governance, transparency and accountability performance of CAFI and the DRC’s REDD+ National Fund (FONAREDD). Since 2013, FONAREDD has served as a financial vehicle for the implementation of the National REDD+ Strategy in the DRC and has been tasked by the government with channelling CAFI funding amounting to US$231 million. As the two funds’ performances and structures are interlinked, weakness in one has an impact on the other, making it critical to review both entities. The report is part of a series of similar governance assessments of climate funds by Transparency International. It analyses the anti-corruption policies and practices that these two funds have in place, with a view to identifying shortcomings and appropriate risk mitigation measures. ### Related publications ## [Annual Report 2025](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/annual-report-2025) Publication • 17 July 2026 In 2025, Transparency International pursued its mission to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society. ## [Fuelling Delay: How fossil fuel interests shape global climate negotiations](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/fuelling-delay-how-fossil-fuel-interests-shape-global-climate-negotiations) Publication • 30 October 2025 Fuelling Delay draws on 39 interviews with climate negotiators, UNFCCC observers, and researchers, complemented by field observations from COP29 in Baku and the 2025 Bonn mid-year… ## [The role of business in fighting impunity and corruption to protect environmental defenders](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/the-role-of-business-in-fighting-impunity-and-corruption-to-protect-environmental-defenders) Publication • 20 October 2025 The paper offers a roadmap for action, urging businesses, policymakers, and investors to embed integrity beyond compliance and strengthen protections for defenders and… ## [Behind the badge: Understanding the roles, reach, and risks of fossil fuel industry participation in UN climate talks](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/behind-the-badge-understanding-roles-reach-risks-of-fossil-fuel-industry-participation-un-climate-talks) Publication • 17 June 2025 This analysis explores how fossil fuel interests access and influence UN climate talks, and highlights the risks this poses to transparency and integrity. ## Priorities - [Climate crisis](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/climate-crisis) ## Countries - [Democratic Republic of the Congo](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/democratic-republic-of-the-congo) - [Central African Republic](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/central-african-republic) - [Cameroon](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/cameroon) - [Republic of the Congo](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/republic-of-the-congo) - [Gabon](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/gabon) - [Equatorial Guinea](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/equatorial-guinea) ## Regions - [Sub-Saharan Africa](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/sub-saharan-africa) ## Projects - [Climate Governance Integrity Programme](https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/climate-governance-integrity-programme) ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/GovernanceAssessmentCAFI_Cover.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) [Download](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2020_Report_GovernanceAssessmentCAFI_English.pdf)