Yusif Sulemana pushes community benefits, national systems in Global Forest Finance Debate

Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana (PhD), has urged the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) to design its financing model around predictable funding, community benefits and strong national systems.

Addressing the TFFF Roundtable in New York, Dr Sulemana said countries need clear eligibility criteria and payment rules that allow them to plan forest protection programmes beyond short-term project cycles.

The Bole-Bamboi MP said Ghana’s experience under REDD+ provides useful lessons for building a financing framework that can work over the long term.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that communities receive transparent and meaningful benefits from forest protection, arguing that people should be able to see a clear connection between conserving forests and improving their livelihoods.

He also called for the TFFF to build on existing national monitoring, safeguards and benefit-sharing arrangements rather than creating parallel structures that could increase costs.

Dr Sulemana further renewed Ghana’s July request for representation on the TFFF Interim Board, saying Ghana’s practical experience could contribute to discussions on the realities facing tropical forest countries in Africa.

He expressed appreciation to Norway and Brazil for their leadership and said the central issue for Ghana is how international forest finance can provide reliable support for keeping forests standing.