Regional countries have agreed to liaise in overseeing the effective implementation of projects designed to protect environment in the Albertine Rift region.

The alliance was formed during a three-day workshop in Kigali that brought together participants from Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, DR Congo and Rwanda.

The workshop was organised by Albertine Rift Conservation Society (Arcos), a regional organisation focusing on the conservation of the Albertine Rift biodiversity, which stretches from the north of Lake Albert in Uganda to the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania. 

"This alliance is comprised of members of civil society organisations from the six countries as well as members of public institutions, especially those directly involved in environment and national development,” said Sam Kanyamibwa, the Arcos executive director.

Kanyamibwa said the alliance will monitor the implementation of development projects to ensure the mitigation of their negative effects.

During the three days, participants visited Gatuna border to examine the possible negative impact of the construction of the One Stop Border Post which is in the pipeline.

The environmentalists cautioned against encroaching on wetland area during the construction.

Border post dilemma

To set up the One-Stop Border post at Gatuna, there is need for more land for parking area, which will require encroaching 40 metres into a wetland just behind the border post customs verification office, something environmentalists strongly oppose.

The Programme Manager of the Organisation for Defence of Environment in Burundi, Jean Baptiste Niyongabo, highlighted the dangers of utilising the wetland.

"Besides being illegal according to environmental laws in all the regional countries, tampering with this wetland would pose danger to the population around this area in the long run,” he said during the field visit at Gatuna.

Meanwhile, participants called on the governments in the region to allocate more funds to natural resource and environment projects, warning that entirely depending on developing partners’ support is not sustainable.