After Villa Cisneros, Sogakope in Ghana in November 2018, it was the Sita'lodge of the Sitatunga Valley located in Zinvié-kpotomey in Benin, which hosted the 4th meeting of the West African Sitatunga Group (WASG). Held on January 26 and 27, 2022, this meeting brought together a dozen organizations from three West African countries: Ghana, Togo and Benin. It saw the online participation of several other people including Mr. Philippe Chardonnet, the Co-Chair of the IUCN Antelope Specialist Group. The objectives of this meeting were to update the results of conservation actions carried out by member organizations, to assess the 2018-2020 action plan and to develop the 2022—23 action plan.

After the welcome words of the Executive Director of CREDI-ONG in the person of Mr. Martial K. KOUDERIN, the members of the network presented in turn the actions carried out and the results obtained over the period 2019-2021 in terms of the conservation of Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekeii gratus) a species that is dependent on swampy areas.

The West African Sitatunga Group (WASG), which was originally made up of six organizations, has been joined by four new organizations with many more in the pipeline in Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Gambia.

There are many worrying observations that motivated the establishment of this network of organizations around this species that is little known around the world. Among other things, we have:

- The fragmentation of its habitat

- Galloping urbanization

- The IUCN status of the species in contradiction with the reality in West Africa

- The difficulty of involving local communities in the long term in its protection

- The non-application of the texts and laws that regulate hunting and the ecosystems concerned

- The competition with transhumance

- The difficulty of promoting tourism in Sitatunga due to its living environment

- The scarcity of scientific data on the species

These findings were validated by Philippe Chardonnet through a moment of online exchange who also specified that the species has not been reassessed since 2016 due to the absence of new data. It therefore counts on the work of this network for a reassessment of the status of the species by the IUCN. The WASG therefore has two main objectives: to strengthen the capacities of member organizations through knowledge sharing, exchange visits and better visibility and then to conduct an advocacy and lobbying process in favor of the sustainable conservation of Sitatunga.

From this 4th meeting of the WASG were born major decisions and action resolutions recorded in an action plan for the period 2022—23. An ad hoc committee has been set up to lead and lead the process of formalizing the network, which should be completed in December 2022. In addition, committed and competent members of the network are expected to join the IUCN group of antelope specialists. A real challenge is therefore launched at WASG for the sustainable conservation of Sitatunga in West Africa.

Written by Modeste HODONOU (CREDI-ONG Communication Officer)

Tel: +229 96 36 56 76

E-Mail: moruel289@gmail.com