STORY: Experts call for collective efforts to boost Africa's nature conservation
DATELINE: Sept. 10, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:55
LOCATION: Kigali
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of wildlife and forests in Africa 
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): BOGOLO KENEWENDO, United Nations climate change special advisor
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BELISE KARIZA, African Wildlife Foundation Rwanda Country Director

STORYLINE:

While ongoing conservation efforts have yielded positive results in Africa, more can be done to prevent bad practices affecting nature conservation on the continent, experts have said.

In separate interviews with Xinhua on the sidelines of Business of Conservation Conference held in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, last week, some experts said everybody should play a role in conservation, not just governments or private sectors.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): BOGOLO KENEWENDO, United Nations climate change special advisor
"There is a lot more to do, creating an enabling environment for citizens to play a role in the development of wildlife economy. Wildlife plays an important part in sustaining biodiversity, and ensuring that water sources are well kept, and these are all benefits that we need that contribute to nature's contribution to our long-term climate goals. See, travel your local area, see what is around, enjoy and I think if you fall in love with the environment you will certainly be in love enough to want to protect it."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): BELISE KARIZA, African Wildlife Foundation Rwanda Country Director
"The role of the private sector is very crucial for the development of conservation. Conservation development cannot just be done by conservationists or people who are in the sector, it needs to be a collective effort from the public sector and the private sector as well. They need to integrate within their programs, conservation development programs that support their services that support their products. For a country like Rwanda to think about a revenue-sharing program, it is an incredible program, it's an incredible way of showcasing that the government is actually behind conservation development. I think it's evident that few African countries are starting to be more and more aware that conservation sector should be prioritized."

The experts underlined that nature-based tourism holds tremendous prospects for creating jobs to spur economic growth on the continent.

According to them, innovative actions are needed to mobilize more resources, beyond the government budget, while enhancing private sector participation to protect natural assets and develop appropriate infrastructure.

Under Rwanda's revenue share program introduced by the government in 2005, some 10 percent of all park revenue is returned to the communities surrounding the various national parks aimed at improving livelihoods.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kigali.
(XHTV)