UN official urges countries to conserve protected areas

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Governments in Africa and beyond need to chart pathways towards resilient and sustainable conservation of protected areas, a UN official said Monday.

Mami Mizutori, the special representative of the UN secretary-general for disaster risk reduction, was speaking during the opening of the inaugural Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) in Rwanda’s capital Kigali.

“Protected and conserved areas are critical to safeguarding Africa’s wildlife, eco-systems services as well as promoting sustainable development and building resilience,” said Mizutori.

Mizutori called for international cooperation in the implementation of concrete measures in the face of growing climate and disaster risks which threaten to increase economic losses, worsen food insecurity and derail sustainable development.

The six-day event running from July 18-23 drew more than 2,000 participants from 52 African countries and beyond to address challenges and drive action for Africa’s protected and conserved areas.

The participants will discuss the key role of protected and conserved areas in safeguarding the continent’s iconic wildlife, delivering vital ecosystem services, driving sustainable development and conserving Africa’s cultural heritage and traditions.

The event is expected to culminate with the adoption of the Kigali Call to Action by all participants.

The African continent is already experiencing more extreme droughts and cyclones, Mizutori said, citing Madagascar, where climate-induced disasters have put the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in danger.

Edouard Ngirente, Rwanda’s prime minister, said given the huge social and economic benefits of protected areas, he hoped the delegates would chart pathways towards resilient and sustainable conservation of the continent's biodiversity for economies' transformation.

“Africa is rich in biodiversity. Perhaps the richest in the world. It is high time that African policymakers put in place strong measures and strategies to ensure that the devastation of our rich biodiversity is stopped,” he said.

The conference was co-organized by Rwanda in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), an international conservation organization.

“Protected areas are critical for the survival of the planet. And the more we manage them for the benefit of people and nature, the more we will build a future where everyone -- human and animal -- thrives,” said IUCN Director General Bruno Oberle, adding that protected and conserved areas, when managed well, can contribute immensely to sustainable development.

Kaddu Sebunya, chief executive of the African Wildlife Foundation, noted that Africa faces the challenge of economic transformation in a world that is aware that the current model of prosperity is reaching its ecological limits.

“To be successful in beating extinction and postponing its inevitability, we will need strong alliances that bring different sectors together if we are to overcome the challenges of wildlife protection and conservation and save the future of our planet; hence why APAC is so important at this moment in time,” he said.