Above: Officials and participants of the workshop to validate guidelines for the identification of Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) in the Republic of Congo, held in Brazzaville on September 28-29, 2025. Credit: WCS

BRAZZAVILLE, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, September 24, 2025—Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) are increasingly recognized as a key solution to deliver global 30x30 commitments. The validation of Republic of Congo’s OECM guidelines is a significant step towards improved management and protection of 30% of the county’s territory by 2030, and a first in the Congo Basin. 

Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs) officially recognize that effective long-term conservation must also take into account geographical areas outside protected areas such as community forests, certified sustainably managed forest concessions, and sustainably managed community hunting or fishing areas. As such, OECMs contribute to achieving the protection of 30% of the Congo Basin region by 2030 - also known as Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The OECM guidelines for the Republic of Congo were developed with technical guidance from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and financial support from the Bezos Earth Fund, and adopted officially by the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin (MEDDBC) on September 19, 2025.

“These guidelines will serve as a strategic tool to strengthen our contribution to international conservation objectives and consolidate the President of the Republic of Congo, H.E. Mr. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO's commitment to this sector. OECMs recognition constitutes a strategic opportunity to highlight Congo’s efforts for biodiversity and reinforce national conservation initiatives,” said Mrs. Arlette SOUDAN-NONAULT,Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and the Congo Basin. 

The OECM guidelines help establish criteria and mechanisms for the recognition and integration of these measures into overall biodiversity conservation efforts in the Republic of Congo. They provide principles for assessing areas that, although not protected areas, contribute effectively to the long-term conservation of in situ biodiversity. 

The guidelines follow the international framework set by the IUCN WCPA (International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission of Protected Areas) while being adapted to the national context to ensure that they are robust, inclusive, and scientifically sound. A particular focus was brought to the integration of the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process to the OECMs, and the identification of priority areas for their implementation.

“The OECM guidelines aim to improve understanding and recognition of these new approaches, harmonize conservation efforts, and contribute to the achievement of national and international biodiversity targets, in particular the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). All partners involved will work in collaboration with the national coordination group on OECMs in Congo to guarantee a fair, inclusive approach respecting rights and knowledge of all,” declared Dr. Christopher HOLMES, Regional Director for Central Africa and the Gulf of Guinea, WCS.

The workshop to validate the Congo’s OECM guidelines brought together around 60 participants, mainly members of the national coordination group on OECMs in Congo and key actors from various sectors, including environmental organizations, research institutions, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, who contributed a wealth of expertise and practical experience. 

This milestone builds on previous achievements by the Republic of Congo’s Government. The national process of identifying the country’s Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) was completed in 2023 and led to the subsequent identification of Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park as the world’s first KBA identified under the Ecological Integrity Criteria in June 2024. Since 2023, the adoption of Congo’s Environmental Law has elevated the protection status of the country’s estimated 5,000,000ha of peatlands. KBA recognition and strengthened legislation constitute relevant pathways that might be applied to the new OECM framework.

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