The first Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities from Forest Basins occurred in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, from May 26 to May 30, 2025.

Over two hundred individuals from twenty different nationalities convened to participate in this momentous occasion.
These people represented critical forest regions like the Congo Basin, Borneo-Mekong-Southeast Asia, and the Amazon.

The conference aimed to strengthen the capacities of indigenous and local community organizations particularly those led by women, in sustainable forest management and climate resilience initiatives.

Environmental Defenders (ED) actively participated in the congress, with Mr. Taylor Kahandja, the organization’s program officer for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), serving as its representative.

His involvement facilitated the establishment of connections with significant organizations such as the Skoll Foundation and the World Resources Institute Africa, therefore fostering collaboration aimed at safeguarding the forests of the Congo Basin.

These interactions aligned with the mission of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which advocates for the rights of Indigenous Peoples in environmental preservation and promotes community-led, sustainable initiatives.

The congress underscored the vital contribution of Indigenous Peoples to forest conservation. Deforestation rates are much lower in indigenous territories, which is why participants endorsed the integration of these community’s knowledge in environmental policy.

Participants also endorsed direct access to climate change-related funds, since the world benefits from indigenous communities preserving environments such as the Amazon, the Congo basin and the Borneo-Mekong in South Asia.

A statement is expected from the conference to guide future advocacy efforts and influence upcoming global climate debates.

Environmental Defenders is an organization operating in the Congo Basin and the Albertine Rift, primarily focused on ecological protection and support for indigenous communities.

The organization’s activities include forestry initiatives, the safeguarding of land tenure rights, and the empowerment of environmental advocates, particularly women and rangers, to foster sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity protection.

The participation of ED in the Brazzaville conference exemplifies the organization’s commitment to fostering collaborations that advance environmental justice and climate resilience, while amplifying the perspectives of Indigenous peoples.

Environmental Defenders persist in advocating for conservation policies that are both inclusive and effective, while acknowledging and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

This advocacy is achieved via engagement in international forums and cooperation with like-minded organizations.

In Brazzaville, where voices from the world’s most vital forests came together, we stood shoulder to shoulder with Indigenous leaders and grassroots advocates to call for a more just and sustainable future.

The connections made with groups like the Skoll Foundation and the World Resources Institute Africa, signal new opportunities for collaboration rooted in respect for community wisdom and climate justice.

As the congress draws to a close, ED returns to the Congo Basin energized and more determined than ever to champion the rights of Indigenous Peoples, protect precious ecosystems, and push for policies that put local communities at the heart of global climate solutions.