Congo president and UN General Assembly chief press for forest action before COP31
Denis Sassou-N’Guesso and Khalilur Rahman called for concrete measures to protect forest ecosystems ahead of the Antalya climate conference.
President Denis Sassou-N’Guesso received Khalilur Rahman, president of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and Bangladesh's foreign minister, at the People's Palace in Brazzaville on Sunday, November 8, 2026. Rahman was leading a delegation of UN diplomats visiting the country.
The two men focused on environmental issues, particularly the preservation of forest ecosystems and the urgency of climate action. Their talks came as the effects of climate change intensify, and they stressed the need to turn international commitments into concrete measures rather than statements of intent.
The meeting took place a few days before the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), scheduled for Antalya, Turkey. The forests of the Congo Basin, described in the report as one of the world's main carbon reservoirs, were a central part of the discussion.
Why it mattersForests of the Congo Basin, which store carbon, are a focus of the talks that will shape the country's position at COP31 in Antalya.