In response to the findings of the international law firm Omnia Strategy LLP, LLF had previously decided to maintain support for the landscape while completing a new Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) study and a milestone review by the end of 2025. These assessments were intended to provide LLF with a more comprehensive basis for decisions on future funding for Odzala-Kokoua. A non-technical summary of the updated environmental and social action plan (ESAP) and the milestone review and its recommendations will be published shortly on LLF’s website.

LLF is firmly committed to the highest ethical and operational standards. Accountability, along with the protection of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and ecosystems, are central to all conservation efforts we support.

LLF’s decision to continue funding

After carefully reviewing the results of both studies, LLF has concluded that recommendations provided by both the ESDD and the milestone review will further strengthen environmental and social safeguards, governance, and human rights compliance in Odzala-Kokoua National Park. African Parks and the park management have agreed to adopt these recommendations.

Both assessments show that management of Odzala-Kokua National Park has made clear progress over the past years, with the ESDD evidencing an improved risk profile resulting from actions already taken. This progress has been confirmed by the milestone review, which finds that over 80% of the environmental and social action plan (ESAP) has been delivered. In addition, since July 2025, African Parks’ Board had already strengthened its oversight and accountability mechanisms, including establishing a Rights and Safeguards Subcommittee. African Parks further adopted an integrated management plan called Project Bomoko (Conservation Built on Human Rights | African Parks). Through this management plan, African Parks is mainstreaming safeguards measures and embedding a human rights-based approach to conservation to drive compliance with international safeguards standards across all its programs. LLF’s continued funding is intended to sustain this momentum and support the full implementation of the remaining recommendations for the benefit of local communities.

LLF believes that the steps taken since the Omnia report provide the necessary framework and action plan to guide Odzala‑Kokoua National Park in the implementation of its conservation strategy in a way that is aligned with international human rights standards and best practices. These include measures such as the set-up of the Independent Panel for Grievance Resolution, the development of a remedy framework, the implementation of the Odzala Indigenous Peoples plan and a strengthened collaboration with local human rights NGOs.

Conditions that are attached to continued funding into Odzala‑Kokoua National Park are the following:

LLF will continue to closely follow the implementation of further improvements in the park management by African Parks. On the ground, this means intensifying its on-site monitoring of the program. This includes increasing the frequency of its site visits to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the actions plans agreed with and proposed to African Parks and Odzala‑Kokoua National Park through the recently conducted ESDD, the milestone review and the Project Bomoko.

A minimum of 30% of LLF’s funding to Odzala-Kokoua will support the significantly increased investment in community development and strengthened safeguards around engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. This includes prioritizing the land use planning and related zoning of the park within the next year.

LLF is convinced that continued funding into Odzala-Kokoua National Park will deliver positive and critical impacts for improving the human rights situation in the Congo Basin, especially for the Indigenous Peoples and local communities in the program area. African Parks as an institution is taking important steps in order to shift towards a human rights-based conservation approach. LLF’s support, particularly through its environmental and social safeguards system, has contributed to this shift and can further support African Parks and the park management on their path towards equitable and inclusive conservation.