Jonas Balounguidi

Jonas holds a Master’s degree in Geosciences and Environment from Marien Ngouabi University (Republic of the Congo). He began his career as a geologist with ASPERBRAS Congo, working on mineral exploration and metallogenic mapping projects, before  joining the Odzala Kokoua Lossi Foundation in 2018, aspiring to contribute to nature conservation. Receiving a training 2019 as an Intelligence Analyst, he became Senior Analyst in early 2021 and led the emerging IA unit after completing a seven-month technical support placement in Benin’s W and Pendjari parks.

Following leadership and management training in 2021, Jonas was promoted as manager of the Intelligence Analysis Departement in 2022, part of the Foundation’s PMU team. He aims to strengthen a sustainable information collection and analysis strategy to enable proactive, informed decision-making against foreseeable threats, while promoting protection of at-risk species and reducing environmental threats and illegal trafficking in and around protected areas.