African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

The African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, also known as the Algiers Convention, was signed in 1968 in Algiers. It replaced the Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in their Natural State of 1933, which had addressed conservation but focused only on specific species rather than entire ecosystems. By contrast, the Algiers Convention aimed for a broader approach to natural resource management. In 2003, this was further updated by the African Convention on Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (revised) signed in Maputo.

International efforts to conserve Africa's wildlife began with an agreement in 1900 among European colonizing powers. This early treaty prohibited hunting of certain animals and allowed local governments to protect species deemed necessary for conservation, driven by concerns over declining animal populations due to deforestation, advanced firearms, population growth, and overhunting. However, it focused solely on specific species rather than entire ecosystems.

The Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in their Natural State, signed later, addressed broader conservation goals but was eventually replaced by the Algiers Convention, which balanced development with resource exploitation while emphasizing ecosystem protection.