Date: 12 December 2025
Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Event Details

Format: Side Event – UNEA7
When: December 12, 2025
Time: 14:00 – 15:30
Where: UNEP Headquarters, Room 14
Organizers: African Forest Forum (AFF) and Comparatively for Tanzania Elites Community Organizers (CTECO)

Registration Links

Registration: Green Room Registration Form – Fill out form
Event Page: Event Schedule Link 

Contact Persons

Tefera Belay Endalamaw, African Forest Forum: t.endalamaw@cifor-icraf.org
Mussa Mussa Wawuyo, CTECO: wawuyo.moses@gmail.com

Event Description

Forests are the fundamental resource for most bioeconomy models and contribute to fostering nature-based solutions. Shifting from traditional forest use towards circular and resource-efficient models could result in USD 2.3 trillion worth of business opportunities and 30 million jobs. Forest bioeconomy encompasses the production and utilization of timber, non-timber forest products, their value chains, and the services they provide. Studies reveal that a forest-based circular bioeconomic model—where improved forest management and production of long-living products with potential end-use for energy and recycling—results in optimal economic benefits and climate service gains.

A FAO study demonstrated that demand for substitution of non-renewable products may increase roundwood consumption by up to 272 million m³ per year by 2050 compared to 2020, amounting to an overall increase of approximately 49 percent in global roundwood production (https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8584en).

These findings underscore the immense contribution of forests to the transition toward a circular bioeconomy. However, this potential can only be fully realized if a strong private sector is expanded and strengthened. Competitive forest enterprises, community-based businesses, and micro-enterprises along the forestry value chain present unprecedented opportunities to drive green business and economic growth across the continent.

The event will share lessons from development and research initiatives implemented by participating NGOs and government institutions. It will also recommend priority areas of action for forest bioeconomy development.

The purpose of this side event is to showcase the potential of forest-based businesses and create a platform for discussing the critical role of forests and forest products in bioeconomy development. The event aims to facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences, and innovative strategies addressing forest bioeconomy development opportunities, entrepreneurship, sustainable forest and land management, and employment creation for youth and forest-dependent communities.

Panelists and Keynote Speakers

Name: Labode Popoola
Title: Executive Secretary / CEO
Organization: African Forest Forum
Confirmed: Yes

Name: Mussa Mussa Wawuyo
Title: Chairman
Organization: CTECO
Confirmed: Yes

Name: Ben Chikamai
Title: Executive Secretary
Organization: Network on Forest Enterprises in Africa (NEFEA)
Confirmed: Yes

Name: Emmanuel Mutisya
Title: Programme Coordinator, African Development Bank; Education Advisor, Office of the President, Kenya
Organization: AfDB
Confirmed: Yes

Name: Doris Mutta
Title: Senior Programme Officer and Head, Programme Management Unit
Organization: AFF
Confirmed: Yes

Name: Grace John Shilly
Title: Chair, Tanzania Head of Secondary Schools Association
Organization: Sechelela Secondary School
Confirmed: Yes

Name: Tefera Belay Endalamaw
Title: Development and Resource Mobilization Officer
Organization: AFF
Confirmed: Yes

Objectives

• Discuss opportunities and capacity gaps for Africa, considering regional and national efforts toward sustainable bioeconomy development.
• Review key forest products with business development potential in the context of bioeconomy.
• Examine institutional conditions that foster or hinder forest bioeconomy, entrepreneurship, and public–private partnerships.
• Promote sustainable production, processing, and value chain development of forest products.
• Showcase and upscale the contribution of forestry to sustainable bioeconomy.