Press Release

Libreville, Gabon, October 26, 2026 – Faced with growing pressure and threats to the forests of the Congo Basin, the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and persistent difficulties in directly accessing climate finance, Greenpeace Africa, in partnership with Brainforest, is organizing the third Regional Conference of Environmental Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of the Congo Basin on October 28 and 29, 2026, in Libreville, Gabon.

Under the theme "A Resilient Congo Basin: Forests, Peoples, Finance, and Nature," this meeting will bring together more than 50 participants from six countries in the region: Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Representatives of civil society organizations, forest peoples and local communities, women-led organizations, researchers, public institutions, and other stakeholders will gather around a common ambition: to build a strong and coordinated regional position to defend forests, strengthen environmental justice, and make the voices of local communities and forest peoples heard in the decisions that shape their future.

Vital forests, but still under pressure

The Congo Basin is home to one of the most important forest ecosystems on the planet. Its forests are an essential bulwark against climate change, an exceptional reservoir of biodiversity, and a source of livelihood for approximately 80 million people.

Yet these ecosystems continue to suffer from pressures linked to deforestation, extractive activities, land degradation, and development models that do not always guarantee the protection of the rights and livelihoods of forest populations.

According to World Resources Institute data from 2025, approximately 780,000 hectares of primary forests disappeared in the Congo Basin in 2024.

At the same time, indigenous peoples and local communities, who are on the front lines of forest protection, continue to face land insecurity, insufficient participation in decision-making, and major obstacles in directly accessing funding intended for conservation and climate action.

"The Congo Basin cannot continue to be presented as a global priority for climate and biodiversity while the communities that daily protect its forests remain on the periphery of decisions and struggle to access financing mechanisms. In Libreville, our ambition is clear: to foster common proposals, driven by actors in the region, so that forest protection finally translates into enhanced rights, fairer governance, and concrete benefits for the populations," states Toussaint Molenge, Regional Forests and Biodiversity Project Manager at Greenpeace Africa.

From Yaoundé to Kinshasa, and on to Libreville: The time for action

This third edition is a continuation of the regional conferences held in Yaoundé in 2024 and Kinshasa in 2025, which helped bring civil society organizations closer together around shared priorities for forest protection, climate justice, and community rights.

The Libreville meeting aims to take a new step forward: evaluating progress made, identifying commitments that are still insufficiently implemented, and defining a regional advocacy roadmap with concrete priorities.

For two days, discussions will revolve around four pillars:

Forest governance and sustainable natural resource management, notably transparency, accountability of actors, and pressures from extractive industries on forest landscapes.

Rights, knowledge, and leadership of forest peoples, with particular attention to land rights, free, prior, and informed consent, and the effective participation of communities.

Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience, favoring rights-based and community-led approaches.

Climate and biodiversity finance, to promote more accessible, transparent, and equitable mechanisms for local organizations and forest peoples.

"We cannot build a sustainable future for the Congo Basin without those who live in its forests, know its wealth, and directly suffer its threats. This conference must help bridge public policies and realities on the ground, while strengthening civil society's capacity to challenge decision-makers and defend truly inclusive solutions," emphasizes Martial Djinang, Executive Secretary of Brainforest.

Joining forces ahead of major international deadlines

This conference comes at a strategic moment in the international environmental calendar, ahead of the COP31 climate conference scheduled for November 2026.

Participants aim to adopt a Libreville Declaration at the end of the proceedings along with regional advocacy priorities, intended to feed into discussions with governments, regional institutions, and financial partners.

Beyond the conference, the challenge will be to strengthen coordination among civil society organizations from the six countries and promote verifiable commitments for the protection of ecosystems and the rights of populations.

The success of Libreville will not be measured solely by the quality of the discussions or the strength of our final declaration. It will depend above all on our collective ability to turn recommendations into actionable commitments, mobilize decision-makers, and ensure that announced funds actually reach communities. The forests of the Congo Basin and future generations can no longer wait, adds Toussaint Molenge, Greenpeace Africa.

The conference will be held at the King Choice Appart Hotel in Libreville on October 28 and 29, 2026, in person with a remote participation option.

END

Contacts:

Raphael Mavambu, Communications & Storytelling Manager, rmavambu@greenpeace.org, Greenpeace Africa

Jean Feri Essono, Communications Officer, Community Manager & Press Relations, combrainforest@gmail.com, Brainforest Gabon

Notes to editors:

About Greenpeace Africa

Greenpeace Africa is an environmental organization that works for environmental protection, climate justice, and community rights. Through its campaigns, mobilization actions, and advocacy, it defends sustainable and equitable solutions to the threats facing African ecosystems.

About Brainforest

Created in 1998, Brainforest is a Gabonese civil society organization committed to environmental protection, sustainable natural resource governance, and the defense of community rights. Its work focuses in particular on institutional advocacy, support for rural communities, and independent monitoring of forest and land policies.

Practical information:

Event: 3rd Congo Basin CSO Regional Conference

Dates: October 28 and 29, 2026

Location: King Choice Appart Hotel, Libreville, Gabon

Organizers: Greenpeace Africa and Brainforest

Format: In-person with hybrid participation

Mega coverage: Official ceremonies, thematic exchanges, and interview opportunities according to the program and access conditions to be confirmed.