Communiqué : Upemba National Park at the Heart of International Dialogue on Migratory Fish and Aquatic Connectivity in the Congo Basin

Communication
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Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo — May 2026

On 23 May 2026, the Université de Lubumbashi will host the celebration of the International Day of Migratory Fish under the theme: “Connecting Rivers, Protecting Life Cycles: The Challenges of Aquatic Connectivity in the Congo Basin.” This high-level symposium will bring together scientists, conservation practitioners, policymakers, infrastructure experts, and regional institutions to address one of the most urgent ecological challenges facing Central Africa’s freshwater ecosystems.

At the center of these discussions stands Upemba National Park — increasingly recognized as one of Africa’s most important freshwater biodiversity strongholds and a critical ecological laboratory for understanding migratory fish dynamics in the Upper Congo Basin.

Recent scientific studies referenced by the symposium organizers reaffirm Upemba’s status as a major hotspot of fish biodiversity, with exceptional levels of endemism and ecological uniqueness. The park’s river systems, waterfalls, floodplains, and wetlands provide vital habitats and migratory corridors for numerous fish species whose life cycles depend on free-flowing and connected waterways.

The symposium comes at a pivotal moment as the Congo Basin faces accelerating pressure from hydroelectric development, agricultural expansion, mining infrastructure, and climate-related hydrological changes. Experts warn that increasing river fragmentation threatens not only fish migration routes but also the ecological balance and food security of millions of people across Central Africa.

In this context, Upemba National Park represents far more than a protected area. It is a living indicator of the health of the Upper Congo Basin and a strategic reference point for designing “nature-positive” infrastructure solutions capable of reconciling development needs with ecological integrity.

The symposium will notably draw attention to research conducted within the Upper Congo Basin, including recent findings on Parakneria thysi, a rare migratory fish species observed navigating the Luvilombo Falls ecosystem connected to the greater Upemba landscape. These findings illustrate the extraordinary ecological processes still functioning within the region and the urgent need to preserve aquatic connectivity.

Organizers emphasize that the future of the Congo Basin depends on integrated watershed management approaches that transcend political and sectoral boundaries. Discussions during the symposium will focus on ecological flow standards, fish passage engineering, hydropower governance, and cross-border conservation cooperation under institutions such as the Commission Internationale du Bassin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha.

For Upemba National Park, this event also represents an opportunity to strengthen its role as a regional center for scientific research, conservation innovation, and ecosystem-based development dialogue. The park’s globally significant freshwater ecosystems continue to provide essential insights into the relationship between biodiversity conservation, water security, and sustainable economic development in Africa. Positioning Upemba at the center of the conversation on aquatic connectivity, the symposium seeks to reinforce the idea that protecting rivers is inseparable from protecting livelihoods, biodiversity, and the ecological future of the Congo Basin itself.

About the Symposium

The symposium is organized by the École de Pêche et d’Aquaculture (EPA-UNILU) of the Université de Lubumbashi in partnership with scientific and institutional collaborators from across Africa and Europe. The event forms part of the global celebration of the International Day of Migratory Fish and aims to produce the “Lubumbashi Recommendations” for more sustainable and biodiversity-conscious water infrastructure policies in the Congo Basin.