The PPI at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025: 20 Years of Commitment and the Launch of Phase 7!
Published on 25 October 2025A Congress filled with Collaboration and Celebration
From October 9 to 15, 2025, the team of the Small Initiatives Program (PPI) took part in the IUCN World Conservation Congress, held this year in Abu Dhabi. This major event for the international conservation community brought together more than 10,000 participants to exchange ideas on solutions to preserve biodiversity and strengthen territorial resilience.
For the PPI, this gathering was an opportunity to reconnect with several African partners (28 present on site), highlight their field actions, and celebrate two key milestones: the program’s 20th anniversary and the official launch of its 7th phase.
The PPI at the Heart of International Discussions
A joint session with the ProBioDev program provided an opportunity to discuss ways to support civil society organizations (CSOs) in a sustainable manner, strengthen their resilience, and enhance their impact in the field. These exchanges highlighted the PPI’s central role in the organizational development of local actors through personalized and nearly daily support.
During a session dedicated to access to finance for small and medium-sized CSOs, Albert Taxonera (Projeto Biodiversidade, Cape Verde), Valéry A. Binda (ABOYERD, Cameroon), and Paul from the PPI emphasized the importance of supporting the resilience of organizations by remaining flexible and covering the human costs essential to their operations.
PPI Partners in the Spotlight
The congress also showcased several PPI partner organizations active in West and Central Africa: AJESH, AMCO, TF-RD (Cameroon), Mbou-Mon-Tour (DRC), A Rocha (Ghana), ACED, BEES, Ecobénin (Benin), and CEM (Côte d’Ivoire).
During a session on the long-term impact of local organizations, Alexandre Dah from CEM highlighted the PPI’s decisive role:
“Beyond funding, it is the organizational development support that has allowed us to become stronger and to increase the sustainability of our actions.”
A highlight of the congress was the presentation of the “Ranger Award” to Benjamin Bassono, from the NGO Les Anges Gardiens de la Nature (Burkina Faso), a PPI partner since 2019. This award, presented by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, recognizes his outstanding commitment to anti-poaching efforts and habitat restoration in the Pô-Nazinga-Sissili complex.
20 Years of Commitment to African Civil Society Organisations
Over the past two decades, the PPI has supported 214 African civil society organizations, backed 327 concrete field projects across 28 countries in Central and West Africa, and contributed to the recognition of the essential role played by African NGOs in conservation and sustainable development.
This convivial moment was marked by the presentation of a trophy to the PPI team by Martial Kouderin from CREDI-ONG (Benin), in tribute to the work accomplished alongside partners over the past 20 years.
The Launch of a Promising Seventh Phase
Spanning five years, this new phase aims to:
• Support projects led by African CSOs in the fields of conservation, restoration, and nature-based solutions;
• Strengthen their technical and organizational capacities;
• Promote collaboration between technical, financial, and institutional partners;
• Highlight the contributions of African CSOs to conservation and public policy.
Conclusion — A Meaningful and Forward-Looking Moment
The PPI’s participation in the 2025 World Conservation Congress once again illustrated the vitality of the African organizations it supports and the importance of their local anchoring in implementing lasting solutions for biodiversity.
Amid inspiring encounters, international recognition, and new perspectives, the PPI team returns with a renewed conviction: Supporting local actors means investing in the future of nature and the communities that depend on it.