EAC TO HOLD TRANSBOUNDARY CONSERVATION WORKSHOP

ARUSHA, Tanzania, June 11, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The EAC in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the United States Forest Service will this week hold a three-day workshop on the theme “Managing transboundary resources for the enhancement of the region's sustainable development” at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania.

The workshop which takes place from Tuesday 12 June to Thursday 14 June shall examine and promote issues of transboundary conservation within the framework of the EAC.

The overall objective of the workshop is to trigger and promote conservation and management activities for the transboundary ecosystems for enhanced socio-economic development. The workshop will help Partner States to develop frameworks for management of shared ecosystems which currently are inadequate, poorly enforced or uncoordinated.

Attempts to harmonize the management ecosystem in the Partner States have been slow due to political, legal and institutional roadblocks, even if Article 9 of the EAC Protocol on Environment and Natural Resources Management obliges Partner States to develop mechanisms that will ensure sustainable use of trans boundary ecosystems and adopt common policies and strategies for sustainable management of trans boundary natural resources.

The workshop will therefore bring together the region's protected area authorities, tourism boards, relevant national and regional authorities and key providers of technical assistance to consider lessons learned from transboundary conservation efforts in Southern and East Africa and discuss challenges and opportunities for improved trans-boundary management of wildlife, water, fire, tourism and extractive industries in the sub-region.

A single government representative observer has also been invited to the workshop from each of the countries neighboring the EAC (namely Ethiopia, South Sudan, DRC, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique).

The meeting is expected to agree on a structure and roadmap for promoting, developing and coordinating transboundary conservation in East Africa; agree on mechanisms and processes for information sharing on transboundary initiatives, activities and experiences; and develops a workshop statement on transboundary ecosystems conservation in East Africa, among others.