Dodé Houehounha, a doctoral student co-tutored by ERAIFT/ULiège, participated in the 26th IUFRO World Congress in Stockholm, Sweden, from June 24th to 28th. Representing ERAIFT, he led a workshop called "Conservation Challenges and Opportunities of UNESCO-designated Sites (World Heritage and Biosphere Reserves) in Central Africa" on June 25th at the booth of the Scientific and Academic College of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP). The workshop provided insights into ERAIFT's work in Central Africa, UNESCO-designated sites, and their conservation status in the region.

Throughout the week, he participated in 12 technical sessions focusing on governance and conflict management of natural resources. On June 27th, he presented a poster on the results of his current research on the "Impact of armed groups' Incursion into Protected Areas: a case study of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger)." This was an excellent opportunity to share with the audience the importance of developing conservation strategies that meet the needs of forest-dependent communities and reduce their vulnerability to disaster.

ERAIFT would like to express gratitude to the European Union and AGRINATURA for their support in strengthening the capacities of protected area managers and promoting research, innovation, and applied science in Africa.