More than 2400 participants from 53 African and 27 other countries participated in the inaugural IUCN Africa Protected and Conserved Areas Congress (APAC) in Kigali, Rwanda from 18-23 July 2022. It was convened jointly by the Government of Rwanda, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF).
The Congress attracted participants from across the African continent and beyond, representing governments, African regional bodies, NGOs, national and international experts and organizations, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, youth, academia, the judiciary, development partners and the private sector. It was a congress by Africans and for Africa – celebrating and acknowledging the skills and commitment of Africa to conservation, sustainable use of nature and human well-being.
Under the theme “For People and Nature” the Congress identified priority actions to strengthen Africa’s protected and conserved areas in a manner that is just, equitable and fair and that will deepen the involvement of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Congress participants committed to act with urgency to address the biodiversity, climate change and health crises, and their relationship to human development and well-being, yielding a nature-positive outcome.
The participants in the first IUCN Africa Protected and Conserved Areas Congress, called for:
The identification, recognition and empowerment of all custodians of nature in Africa to lead the way in conserving Africa’s rich biodiversity through protected and conserved areas (PCAs) that are fair and just, and would achieve ambitious targets to conserve the continent’s lands and waters in effective and connected systems. In particular, we call for support to Africa’s Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women and youth, working in partnership with governments, civil society and private actors, to sustain the wisdom, traditions, scientific and traditional knowledge and customary approaches that will result in effective conservation and the long-term resilience of nature, culture, livelihoods and human well-being.
Promoting inclusive and equitable governance:
Land and waters in Africa are governed under diverse tenure systems that include state, customary and private ownership and differ from country to country. Many areas governed and managed by IPLCs and private partners contribute to effective and well-connected conservation networks, but do not have legal recognition. The Congress recognised the need to acknowledge, respect, recognise and support the rights and identity of customary governance authorities and resource holders, including women, youth and vulnerable people, and the systems and customary laws they use to sustain resources, and to promote legitimacy, transparency and accountability in decision-making, and the fair and equitable sharing of costs and benefits of PCAs.
Putting people at the centre of effective and equitable conservation:
Africa’s protected and conserved areas hold unique competitive advantages for addressing poverty and building resilient communities. They contribute to diverse benefits, are vital for African peoples’ livelihoods and cultures, and are central to meeting global and national biodiversity and ecosystem targets. Africa’s protected and conserved areas (PCAs) estate are the backbone of natural infrastructure underpinning development aspirations on the continent. The 6 million km2 of Africa’s PCAs provide food and water security, erosion and flood control, disease control, climate regulation, carbon sequestration and a host of other critical ecosystem services which underpin human welfare and wellbeing, yet are rarely recognized in national accounting. Central to efforts to improve effectiveness is the involvement of all governance authorities subject to their free, prior and informed consent. To deliver diverse benefits and address threats to PCAs and their significant values, they must be effectively governed and managed
Mobilizing the economic value of PCAs and sustainable financing:
Africa’s protected and conserved areas contribute significantly to economic development at local and national levels, generating services that support the surrounding production landscapes and seascapes, and supporting the livelihoods of local communities through sustainable use and employment, especially through tourism. Nevertheless, many PAs have inadequate resources for their effective management. The COVID-19 crisis resulted in the loss of revenues and exposed the vulnerability of PCAs to economic shocks and brought into sharper focus the underlying financing and resourcing challenges facing protected and conserved areas in Africa and around the world.
We recognise that African PCAs are grossly underfunded despite their enormous economic value, and that public funding, international assistance and revenues fall short of needs, inhibiting their effectiveness and value. Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation considerations in the production sectors of the economy is key for realising the full potential of Africa’s growth, and the empowerment of its people. However, it is not just the volume of funding that matters, but the way it is used to address the most important threats and weaknesses through fair and equitable access to decision making by all of those involved in governance and management in determining priorities, including rights-holders and stakeholders.
PCAs as natural solutions to the biodiversity and climate change crises:
There is widespread agreement that the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, which impact on human health and wellbeing, must be addressed simultaneously. By protecting ecosystems and natural habitats and the ecosystem services they provide, PCAs act as nature-based solutions that help people cope with the impacts of climate change, health and disaster risks.
Recognising that climate change will lead to geographic shifts in the distributions of species, habitats and impact human livelihoods and migration, African protected area networks should be re-evaluated and redesigned to secure natural habitat and improve connectivity, thereby enhancing resilience of biodiversity and communities. Governments to consider PCAs as a first option for climate adaptation and mitigation and as nature-based solutions to address both the climate and biodiversity crises through mutually beneficial action. This should be reflected in implementation, and the next revision, of Africa’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
APAC’s Commitment to Action
Recognizing Africa’s rich and unique biodiversity heritage and the diversity of its peoples, we the participants at the inaugural IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress commit to the following actions:
- To communicate our recommendations widely, and call upon all governments and stakeholders to support implementation with the necessary urgency, and to monitor implementation.
- To welcome the recommendations made by representatives of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and youth, and their commitments towards implementation.
- To work with the representatives of youth at APAC2022 now and in the future to create, plan, implement, manage and share the benefits of this collaboration.
- To send a strong message to COP 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework regarding the recommendations and commitments captured at this Congress, and to COP 27 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- To request the African Union Commission to declare 18 July of each year “Africa Protected and Conserved Areas Day” to be observed and celebrated across the continent.
- To task the conveners and organising partners of the inaugural IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress to undertake the development of an African Protected and Conserved Areas Forum as an inclusive and consultative pan-African body for the African Protected Areas Directors (APAD), government agencies, CSOs, Youth, IPLCs, NGOs and private sector to guide the implementation and monitoring of APAC 2022 commitments through smaller regional meetings and the convening of the second APAC within the next 4-5 years.
- To maintain the energy, spirit of hope and commitment of this inaugural APAC and convey this through our work in our respective home countries and institutions.
Some of the Important Quotes;
“Strong households make strong villages”. – Lesle Jensen, Resource Africa
“There is no Africa No.2”. – Shammilla, UNEP
“The time for talk about OECMs is over, now is the time to walk the talk and seize the opportunities of the OECM concept”.– Trevor Sandwith (IUCN)
“There is no doubt that OECMs are the future of conservation”.– Dr Obura (CORDIO)
“We should not take communities as beneficiaries of the projects, they are the owners”. –Nombe Ganame Mali Elephant Project.
“We are partners in the Vision”. – Youth at APAC
“Don’t expect to be given everything but fight for it”. – Former Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn.
“Walk as if the ground feels pain”. – Prof. Rashid Sumalle
“In the struggle for indigenous control over their lands and Ability to get food from their lands and ability to get food from their lands and ability to build the capacity of our women”. – Hindou Oumarou
Author : Irene K Natukunda