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I recently returned from joining the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) for their 2018 Annual International Meeting and the African Public Interest Environmental and Human Rights Law conference in Arusha, Tanzania. The meetings brought together more than 100 people, and were co-hosted by Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team (LEAT) and the Association for Law and Advocacy for Pastoralists (ALAPA).

This was a wonderful way to meet ELAW’s grassroots advocates from 42 countries, especially those from the African continent, including Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

The environmental issues these defenders address range from land grabs, to extractive industries, climate change and more. Beyond ELAW partners, the Goldman Environmental Prize brought truly inspiring Prize winners from across Africa to participate as well.

I’ve recently started work as a francophone attorney with ELAW on a consultant basis, and had the pleasure of meeting my ELAW team members from the US and DRC.