Linking great ape conservation and poverty alleviation in DRC, Workshop Report

Great apes are iconic species that are highly valued by the international community and are a high priority for various international conservation efforts. At the same time, great ape ranges coincide with some of the poorest countries of the world. Many ape conservation organisations have been addressing poverty issues especially since the 2005 United Nations Kinshasa Declaration on Great Apes, which reinforced the connection between poverty alleviation and great ape conservation. However, the results have been mixed, and experiences and lessons learnt are rarely shared amongst organisations. To improve how successfully we address great ape conservation - poverty linkages we need better understand the issues at stake, and increased integration between all the actors involved (conservation and development organisations, research institutes, private sector and government). In response to these concerns IIED, with funding from UK Aid and the Arcus Foundation,and in partnership with the Committee of Human Right and Development (CODHOD), organised a two day workshop in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This publication is an output of the Poverty and Conservation Learning Group (PCLG) - Event Report, 2014.