Rwanda joins IUCN Green List
The Photo shows rehabilitated area in Sebeya Catchment
UCN Green List programme is the first global standard of the best practice for area-based conservation. The programme aims to recognize and globally increase the number of protected and conserved areas that are fairly governed, effectively managed and achieving their conservation outcomes.
Government of Rwanda through Rwanda Development Board represented by Deputy Chief Executive Officer Mr Niyonkuru Zephanie and IUCN ESARO represented by Regional Director, Luther Anukur, signed a country commitment to implementing the IUCN Green List across all Rwanda’s protected and conserved areas. The signing ceremony took place at the IUCN Green List High-Level social event. A big milestone to recognise for the hosting country to acquire higher standards of conservation of nature and wildlife.
Zephanie Niyonkuru, Deputy CEO of RDB, said the move paves a way for the country to benefit from the standards in terms of conserving biodiversity and ensuring the continuous maintenance of national parks and other protected areas.
“We have been putting special attention to conservation and we entered into some partnerships including one with African parks to make sure that we effectively manage some of our parks and also leverage the technologies in terms of tracking animals and relocation of some animals that we didn’t have before.”
In November 2021, thirty white rhinos were released into the wilderness of Akagera National Park in Eastern Province of Rwanda, in a move to create a secure new breeding stronghold for the species in Rwanda.
Luther Anukur, the Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, IUCN, said the partnership shows the commitment of Rwanda to its conservation efforts.
“Signing the MoU is one thing but doing the real work is another, but I think our commitment has always been there like we did other programs in Rwanda. So, we don’t doubt that the future will only be better,” he added.
According to Anukur, the Green List allows countries trying to attract private financing to have a gauge that determines where they stand on their journey towards the future of conservation.
The signing of this partnership took place on the margin of the IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC2022) that convened over 2400 delegates from Africa and beyond in Kigali for discussions on the current state of Africa protected and conserved areas, policy making, local communities, indigenous communities and financing of protected areas, among others.
