CCAHD at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

CCAHD at the IUCN World Conservation Congress

The IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) took place in Abu Dhabi from October 9-15, 2025.  The CCAHD was well represented with members from Benin, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo.  The  CCAHD was also strongly featured at a booth hosted by the IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group with the theme of ‘Conservation Planning and Action for Cetaceans’.

The WCC represents the end of the most recent four-year cycle, or quadrennium, in which the IUCN operates.  The event included five days of an exhibition and a forum, which were run in parallel, and finished with the Members’ Assembly – three days of formal voting and meetings for the IUCN’s over 1,400 members from over 170 countries.  During these last three days, members voted on new leadership and a series of motions proposed by members, intended to guide the IUCN and members in conservation action in the coming quadrennium.  Members also formally adopted a new 20-year strategic plan and 4-year programme to guide the IUCN’s work in the 2026-2029 quadrennium.  Vivek Menon was elected as the new Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, the Commission under which the CSG and all other taxonomic specialist groups fall.

The cetacean booth attracted a steady flow of traffic, with an energetic team of local volunteers from the UAE Dolphin Project supporting CSG members in answering questions and sharing the key messages and information prepared for the booth.  Materials on display included Sousa teuszii infographics, regional marine mammal ID cards for the west coast of Africa, stranding data collection guides, the CCAHD fundraising flyer, and Keita and the Dolphin children’s books.   These books were one of the most popular items at the booth.

Visitors to the booth included a large number of fellow scientists and representatives of conservation organisations, providing opportunities for new collaborations and support for the CCAHD’s work.  CCAHD partners also formed valuable connections during the meeting, and as IUCN members, participated in the important IUCN voting process, ensuring that the (West) African perspective was well reflected in the resolutions and recommendations that were adopted. The Assembly passed nearly 150 motions, demonstrating that advancement occurs when people come together for the sake of the environment. The Members’ Assembly also adopted the Abu Dhabi Call to Action as the Union’s commitment to accelerating action for a globe where people and wildlife coexist peacefully. The IUCN president, counsellors and commissions chairs were elected, and outcomes are available here.