RWANDA’S 2016 EDITION OF ‘CONVERSATION ON CONSERVATION‘ ANOTHER SUCCESS
(Posted 31st August 2016)
The just ended 2016 edition of Rwanda’s unique ‘Conversation on Conservation‘ has come up with a series of recommendations and resolutions, which are worth sharing with my readers.
All the relevant details are shown below:
RESOLUTIONS:
Conversation on Conservation 2016 Theme: “United in driving economic growth through conservation’
Sustainable Development Goals
1. Establish a cross-sectoral team to design an integrated monitoring system for the country which merges SDGs, EDPRS II, green growth and climate resilience strategies. ? In order to do this, explore the role of the Commission for Science and Technology to convene this cross-sectoral team. ? Develop a harmonized policy for data sharing and integration and ensure that data generation toward the monitoring system are coordinated and agreed. ? Establish a mechanism to ensure information from the monitoring system leads to improved evidence-based decision making across multiple jurisdictions.
2. Fully operationalize and fund the Center of Excellence for Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management ? Increase capacity for integrated project design from proposal writing, fund mobilization, management and implementation; establish partnerships where needed ? Create a platform to ensure communication and collaboration between academia and government institutions regarding research priorities and establishing a research agenda
3. Support national higher learning institutions to be more effective in meeting their objectives in contributing to filling biodiversity knowledge gaps
4. Investigate increased support to environmental journalism (eg. training courses and capacity building)
5. Investigate the potential of a consultative council on conservation including government, private sector, researchers to address development proposals, in advance of feasibility studies
6. Environmental Impact Assessments as part of the development process needs to be more independent
7. Review the current structure of conservation and protected area management within government institutions relative to other sectors, to ensure conservation is on equal footing
8. Standards developed for nature-dependent businesses
9. Initiate collaboration between JADF and private sectors on integrated conservation and development projects
10. Invest in programs to explore and enhance opportunities for local communities to be involved in and benefit from conservation and nature-dependent businesses
11. Explore possibility of FONERWA and other donors to commit resources to these recommendations
Illegal Wildlife Trade
12. Revise the law and pass a wildlife law-specific statute
13. Build and strengthen education capacity of wildlife law enforcement; especially during cadet training
14. Conduct broad sensitization of existing law enforcement agencies and their officials; i.e. the Judiciary, Prosecutors, National Police, Customs etc
15. Increase level of awareness of IWT among politicians as a national priority
16. Recognize conservation as a pillar or driver of the broader economic agenda
17. Incentivize conservation by creating a conducive environment
18. Professionally remunerate officials involved in wildlife law enforcement
19. Inculcate accountability and transparency in the management of wildlife
20. Put in place stricter border and customs control
21. Develop coordinated and cooperative law enforcement approaches
22. Champion demand reduction programs
General
23. RDB to brief the Rt. Honorable Prime Minister on these resolutions, and track progress toward these resolutions leading to CoC 2017
