The forests in Rwanda have historically played a significant role in the economy and livelihoods of its population. In 2020, the forestry sector alone contributed to 6 percent to the country’s GDP and supported agriculture which accounted for 26 percent of the GDP.

In addition, forests provide around 86 percent of the primary energy source mainly as domestic cooking energy; and hold the base for the country’s tourism opportunities, which generated USD 498 million in 2019 and USD 121 million in 2020 and are targeted to increase to over US$ 800 million by 2024. Forested catchments supply a high proportion of the water for domestic, agricultural, industrial urban and ecological needs in both upstream and downstream areas (MoE, 2020).

• Sustainable financing for forest and landscape restoration
• Rwanda’s efforts to manage existing forests and reforest areas of the country have led to 30.4% of the country being covered with forests. These areas play an important role in mitigating Rwanda’s contribution to climate change.
• Efforts are in place to develop new green and public space in Rwanda’s cities as per recently developed land-use masterplans. The ongoing development of the Nyandungu Wetland into a recreational facility is one example of this.