2025 meeting of the Sahel & Sahara Interest Group – Registration is open!
2025 edition
The SSIG meeting will kindly be hosted in TOZEUR, Tunisia, by the Direction Générale des Forêts of Tunisia (Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries), and facilitated by Sahara Conservation with the support of Marwell Wildlife, from May 7 to 9.
The 2025 conference will focus on enhancing the role of grassroots initiatives in conservation and sustainable development.
The meeting will be structured around the following cross-cutting themes, focused on the Sahara and the Sahel:
- Sustaining ecosystems: models for effective protected area and landscape management
- Restoring species: biology, management and recovery of threatened species
- Human/wildlife interactions & ecosystems health: community engagement and complementary approaches for people, animals & environment
Registration
Please complete your registration form by March 31st.
Registration fees
- Regular rate: US$180 or €170
- Range states residents and students rate: $85 or €80
The registration fees include coffee breaks, lunches, field visit and onsite transportation.
The payment link is in the registration form – or you can access it from here directly.
For a wire transfer, or other payment methods, please contact Julie Martin.
Call for abstracts
If you would like to present during the meeting, please submit your abstract before Monday 31 March 2025 using the online form.
Logistics
Invitation letters for Visas
Please check immediately if you need a visa to enter Tunisia and mention it in the registration form. We’ll be happy to assist with invitation letters if needed.
Accommodation (suggestions)
Click here to find all the information on accommodation and hotels.
Flight Tunis – Tozeur
Tozeur’s international airport (Tozeur–Nefta) operates regular scheduled and charter flights from Paris (with Transavia), or from Tunis (with Tunisair Express).
We recommend checking flight schedules and connections in advance to book your trip. Please note that Tunisair Express is not listed on flight comparison websites; bookings must be made directly on their official website.
Flight schedule Tunis/Tozeur with Tunisair Express: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday (once a day).
Flight schedule Paris/Tozeur with Transavia: Tuesday and Friday (once a day).
Wadis & Dunes Excellence Awards
New This Year!
The Wadis & Dunes Excellence Awards will honor individuals or institutions that have made a significant impact in Sahelo-Saharan conservation, environmental preservation, and the promotion of sustainable development across the arid regions of North Africa and the Middle East.
These awards recognize outstanding efforts in areas such as biodiversity and endangered species conservation, combating desertification, and ecosystem restoration. Whether a visionary leader, an innovative organization, or a dedicated community, the recipients will be selected by a panel of experts in recognition of their meaningful and lasting impact.
If you are interested in nominating one or several individual(s) or organization(s) whose work you would like to highlight, or submit your own application if you or your organization are involved in a project worthy of this recognition, please complete the form.
Program overview
- Tuesday 6 May: Arrival of participants
- Wednesday 7 May: Day 1 of the meeting
- Thursday 8 May: Day 2 of the meeting
- Friday 9 May: Field trip to Dghoumes National Park
Step-by-step guide
- Click on the link to complete the registration form online by March 31st.
- Pay the registration fee. The payment link is in the registration form – or open it from here directly: pay the registration fees.
- If you would like to give an oral presentation, plan a side event, or exhibit a poster, please submit an abstract no later than March 31st.
A schedule of talks will be circulated to registered delegates in advance of the meeting.
In case you encounter any technical issue at any stage of your registration process or need more information, please write to: comms@saharaconservation.org
Organising and supporting entities
We welcome WWF Afrique du Nord as a supporting entity to the event.
We still need extra support to make the event an even bigger success.