Fighting Poaching Should Take Center Stage in Great Lakes Countries of East Africa
Fighting Poaching Should Take Center Stage in Great Lakes Countries of East Africa
Uganda together with Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have joined efforts to strengthen security around Virunga Forest Park. This has taken place by organizing a conference in September 2014 Which is being attended by Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of economic integrations, Joseph Atafa, and Regional Senior Expert Environment and Climate, Katherine Warner, are attending this collaborative meeting on security of Greater Virunga Trans boundary in Kampala.
The three countries are holding a two-day Greater Virunga Trans boundary Collaboration (GVTC) meeting in Kampala, to come up with joint measures to strengthen the security around the protected area across borders.
While opening the meeting at Mosa Courts, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) boss, Andrew Seguya said the issue of security is paramount to safe guard the Wildlife in the forest park.
The issue of insecurity in DRC led to death of many elephants but on the Ugandan side poaching has greatly reduced. We are working with communities around the park and providing other alternative livelihoods to fight poaching,” he noted. By telling communities that people doing Uganda safaris will enrich them by providing supportive labour in Lodges and hotels opened.
Rhino and baby all perish to poachers
He said the strategy has yielded a lot of benefits and boosted tourism. When Uganda tours increase means increased employment to all Ugandans and benefits the country at large. Like infrastructure opened for tourism sites keep on increasing opportunities for the communities.
Seguya noted that the end of war in DRC has reduced the problem of poaching.
Investigations by UWA show that a total of 800 ivory tusks that were intercepted at Entebbe Airport were not from DRC, but were from Tanzania. Seguya said investigations also indicate that the Rhino horns were also coming from South African.
The Executive Secretary, GVTC, Wilson Kajwengye said there is need to strengthen on the current governing laws to punish poachers when arrested. “As the region we should strengthen the legislation to curb those who kill the animals and cutting down the forest park,” he said.
The meeting is also discussing sharing of revenue especially on Gorilla families. Gorilla safaris are a center stage and so far bring income for the 3 countries of Uganda Rwanda and Congo DRC.
