First published on 03/06/2026, and last updated on 04/14/2026
Shared by TICCA Latinoamérica
Paramaribo, February 25, 2026
Between February 27 and March 4, 2026, a delegation from the ICCA Consortium and the ICCA Latin America Territories of Life Network will visit Suriname to carry out a series of activities in support of and recognition for the Saamaka people.
The delegation will be led by our global Council President, Luis Guillermo Izquierdo, an Arhuaco Indigenous leader from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia, and will include members from Africa, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico.
The purpose of the visit is to express support for the historic struggle of the Saamaka People to protect their ancestral territory and traditional spaces, as well as to preserve their culture and the indigenous languages passed down from their African ancestors. The Saamaka maintain a strong governance system that has enabled them to consistently withstand external threats to their territory.
Activities will begin on February 28 with a gathering in the Saamaka village of Piki Seei. During this meeting, five Tyubi Kamias, or “reserve forests”, will be formally declared protected areas under community management.
In addition, clan leaders will propose the self-recognition of the 1.4 million hectares of Saamaka ancestral territory as ICCAs, territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, also known as territories of life.
The ICCA Consortium delegation will also share information and exchange experiences with members of the Saamaka People on documentation processes, participatory mapping, and peer review. They will also discuss strategies to self-strengthen territories of life, focusing on the conservation of nature through ancestral and traditional practices that support the well-being of custodian communities.
A high-level meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 2, with representatives of the Government of Suriname, one of the most forested countries in the world. It is expected that the government will reaffirm its commitment to protecting 90 percent of the country’s forest area.
In this context, the ICCA Consortium will share its global experience in recognizing and strengthening territories conserved by Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and Afro-descendants, as a strategic contribution to national conservation efforts.
The ICCA Consortium and the ICCA Latin America Territories of Life Network express their support for Hugo Jabini, a leader of the Saamaka People, and highlight his commitment and leadership in defending their territory and preserving the cultural diversity of his people.
About the Saamaka People
The Saamaka People of Suriname are descendants of Africans. They protect approximately 1.4 million hectares of ancestral territory, are organized into clans, and preserve their own languages. They represent about 22 percent of Suriname’s population.
Their struggle has received international recognition, particularly following a historic ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which required the State of Suriname to recognize their rights to ancestral lands and to guarantee their free, prior, and informed consent for extractive projects affecting their territory.
About the ICCA Consortium and the ICCA Latin America Territories of Life Network
The ICCA Consortium is an international, membership-based organization active in more than 80 countries. Its mission is to contribute to the recognition of and effective support for territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, known as ICCAs or territories of life. Through its regionalization process, the organization promotes several initiatives in Latin America, including the ICCA Latin America Territories of Life Network. Website: https://www.iccaconsortium.org
