The Regional Plant Biotechnology Forum 2025, hosted by FABI and the FMG-EPPI programme in collaboration with the African Centre for Gene Technologies (ACGT), and Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, successfully took place on 13-14 February at the University of Pretoria. The event brought together experts from academia, industry, and government to discuss advancements in plant genetic engineering. The forum featured a keynote address by Prof. Jack Wang from North Carolina State University, who shared insights on leveraging genome editing to address challenges in the forestry sector. This was complemented by presentations on gene editing regulations, bioengineering, and plant transformation by current and former FABIans, including Bianca Prozesky, Dr Gudrun Dittrich-Schröder, Alida van Dijk, Bianke Marx, Lorcan Carlsen, Dr Steven Hussey, Julia Lutz, and Prof. Dave Berger. A panel discussion followed the presentations, where attendees engaged in insightful conversations on topics ranging from the challenges of plant biotechnology to future research directions in the field. The event concluded with a roundtable discussion, where FABI members exchanged ideas with Prof. Wang, reinforcing the growing impact of biotechnology on sustainable forestry and agriculture in Africa.