This year’s Valentine day was marked with special African flavour that saw the launch of the first-ever Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) at Nairobi National Park’s historic Ivory Burning Site.
Margaret Mwakima, principal secretary, State Department of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya, accompanied by John Waithaka, congress director, APAC and Luther Anukur, regional director, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), East and Southern Africa, presided over the launch.
Dubbed for the love of nature, the APAC 2019 launch sought to position Africa’s protected areas within the goals of economic and community well-being as well as seek commitment from African governments to integrate protected areas in the African Union’s agenda 2063 strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of the entire continent.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, at the start of the 20th century, there were only a handful of protected areas approximately 200,000 which cover around 14,6 percent of the world’s land and around 2,8 percent of the oceans. As the world continues to develop, pressure is intensified on the ecosystems and natural resources thus the need to protect them.
Taking place November 18 to 23, the congress is expected to attract more than 2,000 delegates who will deliberate on homegrown ways to secure a sustainable future for Africa’s protected areas, people and biodiversity while showcasing homegrown examples of practical, innovative, sustainable and replicable solutions that harmonize conservation and sustainable human development.
Source: traveltradedaily.com
