Insights into the EAC treaty on Co-operation in Wildlife Management
Wildlife conservation and protection forms a great pillar to the development economics of the various member states within the East African Community; most evidently supporting the tourism industry through tourism. Tourism, particularly nature tourism has had a significant contribution towards the GDP of the East African states, approximating to about 9% of the total GDP within the region, 8% of jobs and about 19% of export earnings. Wildlife tourism uniquely accounts for over 70% of the tourism experience in the region.
The EAC holds up to a quarter of the protected areas across the African continent. Uniquely, East Africa too is home to various species of flora and fauna endemic to the regions, most commonly associated with the Albertine /region and the Greater Virunga ecosystem.
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, however has resulted into an ultimate drift in the ways humans interact with wildlife and wildland resources. Key accelerating factors to thus have been fast driven by the global economic shortage thereby leading to an overwhelming demand for wildland resources.
The EAC treaty on Co-operation in Wildlife Management under article 114 articulate that Partner states agree to take concerted measures to foster cooperation in the joint and efficient management and sustainable utilisation of natural resources within the community for mutual benefit of the partner states. This implies a holistic approach towards addressing the challenges that may often arise from conservation efforts that concern all member states involved within the joint conservation pool, develop strategies so as to strengthen collaborative efforts within the East African Community.
Article 116 of the EAC treaty in Co-operation in Wildlife Management as well highlights that the Partner states undertake to develop a collective and coordinated policy for conservation and sustainable utilisation of wildlife and other tourist sites in the Community. These accordingly may be achieved through harmonization of policies regarding wildlife conservation, information exchange, co-ordination of efforts in controlling and monitoring encroachment and poaching activities.
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