In Africa, despite persistent high rates of loss in DR Congo, bright spots of hope can be found in the Congo Basin. Both Gabon and the Republic of Congo experienced two years of declining primary forest loss. Both are recognized as high forest, low deforestation (HFLD) countries with promising developments on the horizon for their forests: Gabon became the first African country to receive payment for reducing carbon emissions and deforestation, and the Republic of Congo recently passed a law allowing Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) to legally hold and manage - and thereby protect - their forests from unwanted commercial activities, writes Mikaela Weise and Liz Goldman.

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