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Home > News > EPI Foundation: an event to protect the elephants of the Congo Basin

Published April 26, 2023 / Environment

EPI Foundation: an event to protect the elephants of the Congo Basin

20230426-Event-EPI

The Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation (EPI) is hosting an online event on 22 May from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. (UTC+1, London time) with simultaneous translation into English and French, sponsored by Conservation International. The session will begin with a presentation of an exclusive film on the Congo Basin, followed by a high-level discussion with ministers from Central Africa and the UK, donors and experts. Partnering with the NGO Stop Ivory from 2015 to 2020 to promote EPI, the Brazzaville Foundation wishes great success in its exchanges. Register here

Herd of elephants in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, in the northwest of the Republic of Congo, Guenter Guni Photography, iStock.

The conservation of the Congo forest is of growing international importance. It is the last bastion of the critically endangered forest elephant. Their population has declined by more than 86% in 31 years due in part to poaching and loss of habitat. Population growth is bringing humans and elephants closer together, with consequences for their respective lifestyles: destruction of natural elephant habitats, destruction of human crops, damage to property and loss of life.

 

How can we protect these elephants and their vital habitat?

 

The answers will be provided during the high-level discussion moderated by Ulysse Korogone, Assistant Director of State Engagement at EPI Foundation, bringing together the following high representatives: Ms. Rosalie Matondo, Minister of Forest Economy, Republic of the Congo; Mr. Lee White CBE, Minister of Forests, Oceans, Environment & Climate Change, Republic of Gabon; Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate & Environment, United Kingdom; Yves Milan Ngangay, Director General of ICCN, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Fidel Esono Mba Eyono, Secretary of State for Forests & Environment, Republic of Equatorial Guinea; Cristián Samper, Managing Director & Leader for Nature Solutions, Bezos Earth Fund.

For information, the Brazzaville Foundation worked from 2015 to 2020 in partnership with the NGO Stop Ivory to promote the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on 21 October 2015. Launched by Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon, and Tanzania, the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) brings together 21 African states, organisations intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, the private sector, and individuals, working in partnership to protect Africa's elephants, ending poaching and the illegal ivory trade. The Foundation was instrumental in getting the Republic of the Congo to join this project.