Press Releases

Announcing Mr. Norman Rigava as Executive Director of CLN

Announcement of Norman as Director of CLN

The Community Leaders Network is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Norman Rigava as the Executive Director of the CLN, marking a pivotal moment in the Network’s institutional growth and strategic direction. This appointment was affirmed during a critical Executive Committee and staff strategic meeting held in Windhoek, Namibia, from 14 -16 January 2026, convened for strategic reflection, induction, and forward-looking discussions on CLN’s priorities in the SADC region.

Mr. Rigava brings over three decades of distinguished leadership in conservation and development, with extensive experience in Natural Resources Management across Southern, West, Central, and East Africa. His career spans senior roles within government institutions and international non-governmental organizations, where he has consistently advanced inclusive, community-centered, and rights-based approaches to land and natural resource governance.

Prior to joining CLN, Mr. Rigava provided critical technical expertise to the WWF KAZA TFCA Programme, contributing to transboundary conservation initiatives and strengthening environmental safeguards, monitoring, and accountability frameworks.

As Executive Director, Norman will be instrumental in aligning CLN’s activities with its Strategic Framework. His leadership ensures the organization remains steadfast in its core mandate, which is empowering CLN’s national networks and their constituent members to drive sustainable, community-led impact across the continent. Please join us in welcoming Norman to the helm.

 

Dr. Rodgers Lubilo

President of CLN

in Press Releases

Misguided Melanie Verwoerd Does Not Speak for Africa: Communities Defend Conservation Rights

The Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa (CLN), representing over 20 million
individuals across twelve Southern African nations, stands as the authentic voice of the
communities engaged in and affected by sustainable conservation practices. CLN operates with
the vision that wildlife resources should directly benefit the rural populations who share their land
with and steward these resources. Trophy hunting, when ethically managed, is integral to this
vision, as it provides essential socio-economic benefits and finances local conservation efforts.
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in In the Media / Press Releases / Rights, Resources & Livelihoods
The CLN logo tops the title page of the media release.

Rural communities in Botswana concerns over anti-hunting laws in the UK

On 22 February 2024, 17 Community Trusts in Botswana along with the Ngamiland Council of NGOs (NCONGO) expressed their deep concern with a campaign advocating for a ban on hunting trophy imports into the United Kingdom (UK) that will negatively affect their livelihoods and wildlife conservation efforts. These Trusts are democratically elected entities speaking on behalf of their respective communities that live alongside elephants and other wildlife species in Botswana.

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in Botswana / In the Media / Press Releases / Rights, Resources & Livelihoods / Trophy Hunting
Around 50 people in a meeting room pose for a group photograph.

Communiqué of the Community Conservation Congress held in Windhoek, Namibia

The First Africa Indigenous People & Local Communities Conservation Congress, organised under the theme “We are nature & nature is us”, convened between 25th and 27th of October 2023, brought together Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs) from the five regions of Africa to discuss, debate, and offer ideas on how to implement the Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) Kigali Call to Action and the Kigali IPLC Declaration.

The Community Leaders Network of Southern Africa proudly hosted this even in Windhoek, Namibia. Read the full Communiqué from the event in English here, in French here. The press release for the event in English here, in French here. 

in African Conservation / In the Media / Press Releases / Rights, Resources & Livelihoods