News | Congo Basin Science Initiative

Photo competition : Research in pictures

08.09.2026

To celebrate World Photography Day, the Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI), together with its French partner initiative One Forest Vision (OFVi), invited their researchers to showcase their work through a photograph that captures an aspect of their research. The competition aimed to highlight both the scientific importance of their work and the unique field experiences behind it. From the submissions received, CBSI and OFVi selected six photographs that give a snapshot of the diversity of research being conducted across the … Read more

The First CBSI Annual Conference highlights emerging research in the Congo Basin

25.06.202610.06.2026

The inaugural CBSI Annual Conference, held in Brazzaville from 7–9 January 2026, marked a significant milestone for environmental research and capacity building in the Congo Basin. Bringing together all 31 students supported through UK International Development funding under the Congo Rainforest Alliance for Forest Training for Sustainable Development (CRAFT–Sustainable Development) programme, the event served as a platform to showcase early-stage research and foster collaboration among emerging scientists. Launched in 2025, the CRAFT programme is designed to train a new generation … Read more

The 13th Edition of the Science and Technology Week in Kinshasa

25.06.202612.05.2026

The 13th edition of the Science and Technology Week was held in Kinshasa from 14 to 15 April 2026, bringing together political authorities, researchers, students, and institutions to promote scientific culture and innovation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) was at the heart of this major event dedicated to the promotion of science and innovation. As a key player in the regional scientific landscape, CBSI distinguished itself through the active and structuring participation … Read more

Visit of the British Embassy Delegation in Kinshasa

12.05.2026

The Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) welcomed, on 14 April 2026, a delegation of senior officials from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), marking a strategic milestone in strengthening scientific cooperation, innovation, and sustainable development between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Kingdom. Held at the Higher Institute of Applied Techniques (ISTA), the visit was part of a broader effort to consolidate scientific partnerships in the Congo Basin. It provided CBSI with an opportunity … Read more

Outcomes from the National Workshop on Data Harmonisation, Collection, Management and Sharing held at ISTA Kinshasa

21.04.2026

From 02 – 03 April 2026, the Institut Supérieur des Techniques Appliquées (ISTA), Kinshasa, hosted a national technical workshop, with support from the CRAFT–Sustainable Development and Congo-Flex programmes, funded by the UK FCDO and the Schmidt Science Foundation, respectively. The workshop brought together key stakeholders from operational agencies, research institutions, universities, as well as technical and financial partners, to address critical gaps in meteorological and hydrological observations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Congo Basin remains one … Read more

Championing women in science: Celebrating six female bursary students of the Congo Basin Science Initiative’s first annual conference

23.02.2026

In an effort to increase the participation and visibility of female early‑career researchers from the Congo Basin region during the first annual conference of the Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI), we launched six competitive travel bursaries, one for each of our observatories. The bursary covered the plane ticket to and from the conference, as well as accommodation and meals during the conference. The eligibility criteria were simple yet powerful: You must be a female scientist currently pursuing your PhD. The … Read more

Historic Momentum for Central African Science: First Congo Basin Science Initiative Conference Draws Global Attention

11.06.202621.01.2026

Brazzaville, Republic of Congo — January 2026. At the beginning of this year, hundreds of scientists from across the Congo Basin and around the world gathered in Brazzaville for a landmark event: the first Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) conference, held from January 7–9 at the Hôtel Saint François de Paule. The gathering marked a major turning point for scientific collaboration and leadership of researchers from one of the world’s most critical ecological regions, the Congo Basin. A Science Movement … Read more

Visit by the British Ambassador to the University of Kinshasa and CRREBaC

19.11.2025

On 28 October 2025, Her Excellency the Ambassador of the United Kingdom paid an official visit to the University of Kinshasa and the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center (CRREBaC). Accompanied by the UK Climate Adviser in Congo, the Ambassador met with the university’s academic authorities and toured several laboratories and faculties, including those dedicated to science and technology, agronomy, environment, medicine, and pharmacy. The visit concluded at CRREBaC, where she engaged with the CBSI secretariat and met the newly … Read more

CBSI@COP30

19.11.202513.11.2025

Join us at COP30 CBSI members are speaking at the following events: Date and Time Event Title Join Speakers / Panellists Thursday 13 November 14:00 – 15:30 (time in Brazil), 17:00 (UK time) The Lungs of Africa – The Congo Basin and why it matters In person: UK Pavilion Online: https://www.youtube.com/live/5exwLSNB_qo Prof Raphael TshimangaProf Simon LewisProf Virginia ZaunbrecherMinister Marie Nyange Ndambo Dr Aurélie Flore Koumba Pambo Date and Time Event Title Join Speakers / Panellists Friday 14 November 12:45 – 13:45 … Read more