The 2026 General Assembly of the Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for Conservation in Africa AICA wrapped up on 31 May 2026 at Mont Fébé Hotel in Yaoundé. Co-chaired by Prof. James Mouangue Kobila, Chairperson of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission CHRC and President of NANHRI, and Mr. Malidadi Berlings Langa, President of AICA, the 6-day meeting centered on sustainable solutions for African forests and the rights of indigenous communities.
From 26 to 31 May 2026, Yaoundé hosted representatives of indigenous peoples and local communities from across Africa, alongside conservation stakeholders, civil society actors, and institutional partners. The Cameroon Human Rights Commission CHRC participated actively under the leadership of its Chairperson, Prof. James Mouangue Kobila.
Building an African advocacy platform
At the opening ceremony, AICA President Mr. Malidadi Berlings Langa defined the organization’s core mission:
“One of the organisation’s key objectives is to create an African platform through which indigenous peoples and local communities can collectively advocate for issues affecting them in conservation and sustainable resource management.”_
Key challenges raised by delegates
Discussions highlighted persistent obstacles facing communities: marginalization, limited access to basic social services, competition over natural resources, land tenure issues, and the escalating impacts of environmental degradation and climate change on indigenous populations.
Prof. James Mouangue Kobila, in his capacity as President of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions NANHRI, stressed that protecting indigenous peoples extends beyond land rights: “It encompasses all the rights enshrined in the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right to political participation, as well as economic, social and cultural rights.”
He reaffirmed that the dignity, rights, and aspirations of indigenous communities must be fully integrated into national and regional development policies.
Education and youth empowerment in focus
Delegates from Guinea-Bissau drew attention to educational gaps in their communities and appealed to AICA and its partners for greater support to improve access to education for indigenous children and youth. Beyond dialogue and advocacy, the Assembly featured youth training sessions, capacity-building workshops, and strategic exchanges designed to strengthen community participation in conservation initiatives. The meeting concluded with renewed calls for collaborative action to ensure that environmental conservation efforts in Africa remain inclusive, sustainable, and respectful of the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
About AICA
The Alliance for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities for Conservation in Africa works to amplify community voices in conservation, promote sustainable resource management, and defend the rights of indigenous peoples across the continent. AICA General Assembly 2026, indigenous peoples Africa, Prof James Mouangue Kobila, NANHRI, conservation Yaoundé, Mont Fébé Hotel, community rights climate change.
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