The Community-Led Conservation Congress in Africa is a continental gathering that brings together Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities (IPLCs), governments, development partners, conservation organizations, and civil society actors to strengthen rights-based and people-centered conservation across Africa.

The congress is organized by the Alliance for Indigenous People and Local Communities for Conservation in Africa (AICA), an Indigenous-led pan-African alliance dedicated to amplifying the voices of IPLCs in environmental governance and ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making processes affecting their lands, territories, and natural resources. The event is supported by key partners including the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), a global coalition advancing land and resource rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and IMPACT Kenya, a regional organization focused on peacebuilding and community empowerment. The congress is hosted by the Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), a platform representing Indigenous and local community leaders across Southern Africa.

The congress convenes approximately 300 participants from across Africa and beyond to share knowledge, showcase community-led conservation practices, and influence global and regional policy frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Nagoya Protocol, and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

Key thematic areas include:

• Community-led conservation knowledge systems
• Human–wildlife coexistence
• Land tenure and community livelihoods
• IPLCs in global climate and biodiversity processes
• Grievance redress and rights restoration
• Inclusive governance and conservation finance Through dialogue, cultural expression, and policy engagement, the congress aims to launch a strengthened Pan-African IPLC Alliance, promote equitable conservation funding, and reinforce the recognition of Indigenous and local community rights in biodiversity conservation.