The 31st International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2023) took place in Kigali, Rwanda from July 23-27, 2023. The event gathered approximately 1200 participants from nearly 100 countries, all focused on the theme of "Future is Now: Sustaining Biodiversity Today and Tomorrow". The conference served as a platform for conservation professionals, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students from all over the world to exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices in conservation.

ABCG delivered two thematic oral talks, the first on, Assessing Community Responses to Climate Change and Impacts to Biodiversity and the second on, Engaging Stakeholders to Develop and Mainstream Land Use Planning in Africa.

ABCG Director, Rubina James, delivered plenary remarks emphasizing our collective responsibility today and tomorrow to ensure that science, facts, and pragmatism anchor global biodiversity aspirations, advocacy, and contributions to the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature, read more here.

Assessing Community Responses to Climate Change and Impacts to Biodiversity: A 3-year study in Sub-Saharan Africa.



Nikhil Advani, from World Wildlife Fund (WWF), discussed a new approach and methodology for conservation planning in sub-Saharan Africa that involved working with communities to identify and design nature-based actions. He explained how these actions could improve the resilience of both people and nature to the effects of climate change. See the presentation here

Engaging Stakeholders to Develop and Mainstream Land Use Planning in Africa Towards Climate-Smart Sustainable Development



In a presentation by Gautam Surya of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), he discussed the critical role of land-use planning in identifying sustainable and climate-smart development strategies was discussed. The work aims to minimize encroachment on ecologically valuable land while meeting multiple land-use objectives. See the presentation   here

Africa Diaspora Biodiversity Symposium 2.0



ABCG and the Society for Conservation Biology, Africa Section (SCBA) held the second diaspora symposium at the congress where Jessica Torrence-Spence of USAID, Rubina James, ABCG Director, Dr. Tuyeni Mwampamba, UNAM, and Dr. Kevin Njabo, UCLA were the panelists. The aim of the symposium was to create a forum that will facilitate collaborative science, practices, and policy in Africa. The diaspora discussions have been inspired by an ABCG white paper report that was published in 2012 and continue to be relevant today.

ABCG together with other members showcased their resources at the exhibition. The booth provided a remarkable space to meet and network with other congress participants at the conference.

Dr. Michel Masozera, WCS

In his plenary talk, Michel Masozera took us on memory lane of his 25 years of experience in conservation in Africa. He shared more of his interest in inclusive conservation and capacity building of civil society organizations and young African conservationists. He recalls the conservation journey of biodiversity in Rwanda, from the conservation and restoration of the forests to the protection of the Gorillas. He said " Rwanda's tourism revenue has been rising, in 2022 the country raised 27 million dollars from tourism. The country's tourism success is based on natural capital, where massive efforts have been made to restore Rwanda's wildlife and forests". 

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Jane Goodall Institute

The Jane Goodall Institute team presented on 'Tacare', an approach that strives to ensure that local people and institutions own and drive both development and conservation decisions to improve the lives of people, animals, and their shared environment. Read more on the JGI here

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African Wildlife Foundation

African Wildlife Foundation team led a symposium with a roundtable discussion on developing a community of practice for conservation planners practicing in Africa. Protected areas in Africa are grappling with challenges associated with management plans, notably prioritizing planning as an integral part of effective management. Find out more about AWF here.

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Dr. Isigi Kadagi Nelly

Dr. Isigi Kadagi Nelly won the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) Conservation Beacon Award for her dedication and extraordinary contributions to the conservation of billfish species in the WIO Region through research and stakeholder engagement across various sectors.

ABCG and The Society for Conservation Biology in Africa MoU Signing at the ICCB 2023



The Africa Biodiversity and Collaborative Group (ABCG) and the Society for Conservation Biology in Africa (SCBA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) in support of the sustainable use and management of biodiversity in Africa and globally. Read more here.