The African Protected Areas Congress (APAC) should focus on the community issue of conservation that makes it sustainable for the future of the globe, said former Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn.

He was speaking at the official launch of the Rwandan office of African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) on July 18 on the margin of the APAC 2022, taking place in Kigali.

AWF is an Africa-based global conservation organization focused on protecting wildlife and their habitats as essential parts of a modern and prosperous Africa. It has been operating in Rwanda for the past 40 years.

Desalegn, the patron of APAC and a member of AWF's global board of trustees, said the colonial thinking of conservation was just to protect the wildlife so that you can watch them, "that concept has completely changed now.”

"I think for this, Rwanda is a good example…community ownership and livelihood issue has been at the centre of all the conservation work, something other African countries can follow suit.”

He added that the inaugural APAC meeting that is convening more than 2,000 delegates from 53 African countries should include, among other things, discussions on community involvement.

"If the community doesn’t own it, the destruction and degradation will continue.”

Belise Kariza, AWF Country Director, said that one of the major projects the office will focus on is to assist the government of Rwanda in the expansion of the Volcanoes National Park as the country's level of conservation is progressive.

"Rwanda has set a high standard when it comes to conservation programmes as far as all the national parks and the revenue sharing approach that the government initiated back in 2005, where a portion of tourism (revenue) goes back to the local communities.”

The project is expected to cost $255 million (Approx. Rwf 260Bn) with the goal to ensure a better habitat for the mountain gorillas with an increase in size by 3,740 hectares.

Regional footprint

Kaddu Sebyuna, CEO of AWF, said: "Rwanda office will give us a good footprint in the Central and East African region and at the same time reinforce our commitment to conservation efforts.”

He commended the strides taken by the government in the conservation of wildlife and wildlands. 

Discussions during the APAC are expected to revolve around how to effectively manage the wildlife and protected areas, the financing of conservation of biodiversity and protected areas, and a roadmap of actions following the Kigali declaration that will be delivered.

Africa has around 8,500 protected areas.