Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda on Thursday signed a five-year joint strategic plan aimed at protecting gorillas and pursuing promotional activities for Virunga massif.  

The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) was signed by officials from Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

The three countries also agreed to work together to improve on the ways of generating revenue from tourism and how to share the benefits.

The deal, according to Dr Andrew Seguya, an official from the Uganda Wildlife Authority will help protect and conserve the rare mountain gorillas. 

Dr Seguya also said the new strategic plan puts emphasis on   advertisement as key to boosting tourism sector in the region.

He added that the partnership will ensure the survival of gorillas and other animals in the region.

"These mountain gorillas move from one country to another regardless of the borders. We, therefore, need to ensure that their security is guaranteed across the borders,” Seguya said.

The deal follows the one signed 10 years ago, which, according to Seguya, did not adequately address the challenges encountered in the field of gorilla protection in the region.

Rica Rwigamba, the head of Tourism and Conservation Department at Rwanda Development Board, welcomed the move, saying it will promote tourism in the Greater Virunga massif.

"We want to help the population around the Virunga massif. The new framework aims at improving the livelihood of people living around  the park region. We welcome other development projects around the region,” Rwigamba said.

Dr Cosma Wilungula, Director General of ICCN, told The New Times that the partnership will also help settle disputes among the three countries.

"The move shows that  we naturally have common resources- mountain Gorilla-which keep us as family. This is a unique, powerful natural resource which cannot be found elsewhere in the world,” Wilungula said.

He said during the last ten year-strategy, the number of gorillas increased from around 600 to around 800.