Landmark recognition opens new platform for science-based wildlife policy across 56 nations
London, 11 June 2026 — The CIC – International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation has been formally accredited by the Commonwealth Secretariat as a recognised organisation, making it the first organisation representing the sustainable use of wildlife to achieve this status.
The accreditation, confirmed by Deputy Secretary-General Tania Baumann in a letter dated 8 June 2026, establishes the CIC as an official partner of the Commonwealth — an intergovernmental body encompassing 56 member states, representing approximately 2.5 billion people across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific. The Secretariat is based at Marlborough House in London, where the CIC maintains its UK office.
The Commonwealth’s membership includes many of the world’s most significant wildlife range states, among them Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand — countries in which sustainable wildlife management is a critical tool for biodiversity conservation, rural livelihoods, and habitat retention. Accreditation provides the CIC with a formal channel to engage Commonwealth governments on wildlife policy, sustainable use, and the role of science-based management in achieving global biodiversity targets.
CIC President Luis de la Peña welcomed the development as a significant step in the organisation’s institutional outreach.
“This accreditation reflects the CIC’s growing role as a credible, science-based voice in international conservation policy. The Commonwealth brings together governments that manage some of the world’s most important wildlife landscapes. We look forward to contributing our expertise to those conversations.”
Tristan Breijer, Director of Communications and Public Affairs and head of the CIC’s UK policy initiatives, said the accreditation represented a natural extension of the organisation’s diplomatic engagement in London.
“The Commonwealth Secretariat sits at the heart of a network of governments that are directly responsible for the habitats and species at the centre of the global biodiversity debate. Securing this accreditation means that the sustainable use community now has a formal seat in that conversation — and the CIC intends to use it.”
The accreditation was secured through the CIC’s UK operations, which has pursued a structured programme of diplomatic engagement with Commonwealth institutions over the past year. The CIC’s UK Delegation has existing relationships with a number of Commonwealth High Commissions in London, and the new status is expected to strengthen those ties considerably.
About the CIC
The CIC – International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is an intergovernmental organisation with United Nations Observer Status, 30 State Members, and approximately 2,000 individual members across 86 countries. Founded in 1930, the CIC promotes biodiversity conservation through sustainable use, bringing together governments, scientists, land managers, and conservation practitioners to advance evidence-based wildlife policy worldwide.
Media Contact:
Tristan Breijer MBA FRGS FRSA MCIJ
Director of Communications and Public Affairs
CIC – International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation
Email: tristan.breijer@cic-wildlife.org | Mobile: +44 781 408 7423 | Website: www.cic-wildlife.org
