The Congress, attended by leaders, policy makers and practitioners from all over the world, and in particular from 53 African countries, served as a milestone in conservation efforts which have come under immense pressure as global warming, together with increased pressure on land by development activities and population growth takes its toll on the environment.

The Congress, convened jointly by the Government of Rwanda, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), attracted participants from across the African continent and beyond, representing governments, African regional bodies, NGOs, national and international experts and organizations, local communities, Indigenous People, youth, academia, the judiciary, development partners and the private sector.