The Africa Palm Oil Initiative (APOI) brought together nine Central and West African governments, as well as the private sector, civil society and indigenous and local peoples groups, in a commitment to make this key industry sustainable and responsible.
The initiative was launched at an important moment in the development of the palm oil industry in the region, as it is on the verge of becoming a net exporter. High-level representatives of the nine governments met in Marrakesh to sign the pledge, which aims to be a sustainable driver of long-term, low-carbon development in a manner that is socially beneficial and protects tropical forests. The countries concerned are: Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone.
The APOI was the first major initiative of the Tropical Forest Alliance, a global public-private partnership set up in 2012 that aims to reduce deforestation linked to key global commodities.
