Published on : 19/07/2022 – 00:58
African countries at the bedside of nature conservation: the first African Congress on Protected Areas began on Monday July 18 in Kigali, the Rwandan capital. Throughout the week, political actors and the world of civil society will debate the importance of protected areas in the development of Africa.
These protected areas extend from mangroves to deserts, from Mediterranean forests to tropical forests or even from savannahs to ice-covered mountains. However, in 50 years, the continent – which is home to a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity – has lost more than 50% of its ecosystems.
Images of protected areas in Africa, devastated by human activity, are projected on the screen during the opening of this first congress. They are part of the future, but the urgency to act is now. This is what Kaddu Sebunya, president of the Foundation for African Wildlife, came to say: Some of the major natural habitats are found only on the African continent. It was the protected areas that brought us here, but the wildlife that sustains the ecosystems within these protected areas is just as important. It is about our cultural identity. »
« Nos lives depend on nature”
These protected and conserved areas are home to the largest mammals on the planet such as the hippopotamus, the chimpanzee or the giraffe. More than 460 million Africans depend on water in protected areas.
Their role is essential, according to the former Nigerien head of state Mahamadou Issoufou, present in Kigali: « These protected areas make it possible to protect biodiversity, they make it possible to protect ecosystems. Conserved protected areas make it possible to ensure the resilience of communities, to ensure their food security. Unfortunately, what we see is that they are underfunded. However, without them – we are all convinced – it is impossible to achieve the objectives of sustainable development because our lives, our economies and our prosperity depend on nature. »
In his opening speech, Edouard Ngirente, Prime Minister of Rwanda, host of this congress, urged all African political leaders to redouble their investments in biodiversity and in supporting ecosystems.
« It is high time that African policy makers put in place strong measures and strategies to end the devastation of our rich biodiversity. There is an urgent need for African countries to increase their level of investment in biodiversity and projects that support our ecosystems. The conservation of biodiversity plays an essential role in our economic development. Many people are employed directly or indirectly by this sector. Tourism, one of the main pillars of our economy, is an example of this. Given the enormous social and economic benefits of protected and conserved areas, I am confident that this African Congress will chart the course towards resilience and sustainable biodiversity conservation for the transformation of our economies. “, did he declare.