CBSI Annual Conference 2026
Registration deadline: 1 December 2025
📅 07 – 09 January 2026 – Hôtel St François de Paule, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Join scientists and CBSI scholarship holders to develop a new vision for science and scientific research in the Congo Basin.
About the Conference
The CBSI Annual Conference brings together scientists to discuss the latest research on the Congo Basin. The conference, organised by CBSI and Marien Ngouabi University, is open to all scientists and stakeholders who support the goals of CBSI. These are to gain an integrated understanding of the Congo Basin, to train a new generation of scientists from the region, and to deliver scientific evidence to policy makers and civil society to benefit sustainable development. The Congo Basin is data-poor. The first CBSI conference will tackle this by developing inclusive plans to remedy this situation, to better understand the climate-water-forest-society system of the Congo Basin in a rapidly changing world.
The first annual conference will focus on:
- Developing plans to coordinate and collect distributed data across the Congo Basin region, in six thematic Observatories: Climate, Hydrology, Vegetation, Biodiversity, Land use, and Socio-ecology.
- Twenty CBSI scholarship holders, studying for their PhDs within the Observatories, who will present their planned research for feedback to improve their project plans.
- Scientists presenting their research, that broadly aligns with the six Observatories, with a focus on early career researchers.
- Synthesis, synergies and impact, including how we produce scientific results that improve forest protection and improve the lives of local forest communities.
- Coordinating with stakeholders, including policy makers, research-related organisations, and science and training initiatives.
The conference will include plenary sessions, short research talks, a poster session, drinks receptions and other social activities. There will be substantial time for discussions, networking and interactions, as well as information-sharing sessions.
The languages for the conference are French and English with simultaneous translation throughout.
✨ Help to shape the future of science in the Congo Basin.
Be part of the conversation. Register Here!
Outline of the Agenda
Day 1: State of Knowledge on the Congo Basin
The conference will begin with a presentation of the new landmark report by the Science Panel for the Congo Basin, launched at COP30 in Belem, Brazil. This describes the state of knowledge of the Congo Basin. This presentation sets the scene for our discussions of building on current research in the region to address the many knowledge gaps. We will follow this with presentations and discussions of the plans for the climate, hydrology, vegetation, biodiversity, land use, and socio-ecology observatories. A welcome drinks reception concludes the first day.
Day 2: Research Talks and Posters on the climate-water-forest-society system of Congo Basin
Short scientific talks by researchers, including CBSI scholarship holders, themed by Observatory. Afternoon poster session and networking session.
Day 3: Responding to Knowledge Gaps and Understanding Stakeholder Needs
Synthesising what we have learnt and discussing next steps. This will include discussions on developing a vibrant culture of science in the Congo Basin region; discussions on coordinating the different scientific and training initiatives in the region; and discussions of what policy makers and other stakeholders need from scientists and scientific research. These will be followed by closing speeches.
The full programme will be available once abstract submissions close.
Why should I attend?
Interaction – Inclusion – Information
- To showcase your research.
- To participate in the co-design of a major new research programmes across the Congo basin.
- To network with other scientists across disciplines and make new connections.
- To learn about CBSI and get involved.
- To connect with stakeholders to make our research have a positive impact.
- To be part of a vibrant research culture for the Congo Basin region.
Thematic areas / Observatories
The CBSI Annual Conference 2026 will focus on developing plans to standardise and improve the collection of data across the following six thematic areas / observatories :
Call for abstracts for talks and posters
We welcome submissions of abstracts for short scientific presentations, or posters. We encourage scientists who wish to present a talk to also present a poster, as posters are more interactive than talks.
If you wish to submit an abstract for a talk or a poster, please use our online abstract submission portal. You can submit an abstract in French or English.
Abstracts will be assessed by a panel for relevance and quality, before being accepted.
If your abstract is accepted for a research talk and we cannot offer a talk due to timetabling constraints, we will offer a poster. For abstracts about CBSI Affiliated Projects, regional science and training initiatives and other stakeholders, we may offer a place on a panel discussion rather than a talk. The agenda and the time of your talk will be finalised once registration closes.
Your abstract should fit one of the following nine themes:
- Climate and Meteorology
- Hydrology and Freshwater
- Vegetation, Soil and Biogeochemistry
- Biodiversity
- Land Cover and Land Use Change
- Socio-ecology
- CBSI Affiliated Project. This is an opportunity to present your project.
- Regional science or training initiative. This is an opportunity to present your initiative.
- Other stakeholder. This is an opportunity for other stakeholders to present.
Criteria for abstracts:
- Length: Maximum of 500 words
- Format: Text only
- Submission: All abstracts must be submitted via our online abstract submission portal. Abstracts submitted via email will not be considered.
Why submit an abstract?
- If you are starting out in your research career, your planned research enables constructive feedback, enabling you to improve your project plans and ensure that the study is as robust and useful as possible.
- If you have results to present, you will gain constructive feedback on the analysis and interpretation.
- Gain visibility for your research at a key event with your peers.
- Engage with stakeholders about your research to make it as impactful as possible, including translation to policy.
- Be part of building a vibrant culture of science in the Congo Basin region.
- Play your part in building cross disciplinary and cross institutional understanding and awareness of the expertise and evidence base that exists in the region.
- Engage in open dialogues with scientists at the forefront of their field for future collaborative opportunities.
- Publish your abstract in the Proceedings of the CBSI Annual Conference 2026.
Scientific organising committee of the CBSI annual conference 2026
- Suspense Averti Ifo, professor at Marien Ngouabi University, Republic of Congo
- Michel Bisa, professor at the University of Kinshasa, DRC
- Michael Keller, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA
- Simon Lewis, professor at University of Leeds and University College London, UK
- Jean Joël Loumeto, professor at Marien Ngouabi University, Republic of Congo
- Styven Mahoungou, PhD student at Marien Ngouabi University, Republic of Congo
- Bonaventure Sonké, professor at University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon
- Lucie Temgoua, professor at University of Dschang, Cameroon
- Raphael Tshimanga, professor at University of Kinshasa, DRC
- Allane Ndzoli, Administrative and Financial Assistant/Remote Sensing and Forest Ecology Laboratory at Marien Ngouabi University, Republic of Congo
Practical Information
Registration for the CBSI Annual Conference is open to all researchers, scientists and stakeholders who support the goals of CBSI.
Registration is free for all participants from Congo Basin countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Republic of the Congo), members of CBSI affiliated projects, the CBSI Steering Committee and students from outside of the Congo Basin.
There is a registration fee of £150 (approx. 200USD) for participants from outside of Congo Basin countries who are not members of a CBSI affiliated project or the CBSI Steering Committee. This fee covers the visa invitation letter, refreshments and lunches, and drinks reception. We also encourage other participants to pay the registration fee if they have funding available. No profits will be made from the conference. Any remaining funds will be used to increase the size of the 2027 CBSI Annual Conference. Please register here and pay for your ticket here.
The conference will be in French and English with simultaneous translation to allow the full participation of French and English speakers.
Please register via Oxford Abstracts. You will be asked to sign in if you already have an account or sign up if you haven’t used Oxford Abstracts before. Your Oxford Abstracts account will also be used for abstract and poster submission and for accessing the conference programme.
Please use Oxford Abstract to submit your abstract.
If you need a visa, we will provide a certified letter of invitation in early December to allow you to obtain a visa for Republic of Congo. Please register via our registration page and fill in your information for us to provide you with the letter on time. Please note: Participants are expected to arrange a visa for their travel (if required) and make their own accommodation and transport arrangements.
The deadline to register for the conference is 1 December 2025.
Unfortunately, CBSI does not have additional travel scholarships to attend this conference.
Have a different question?
✨ Help to shape the future of science in the Congo Basin.
Be part of the conversation. Register Here!
The conference is organised in cooperation with Marien Ngouabi University.
Funder
Partners
