Uganda Wildlife Authority, African Wildlife Foundation develop partnership framework to strengthen Kidepo valley conservation
The two institutions also emphasised that communities, local leaders, cultural institutions, district governments, and other stakeholders will remain central to the process through continuous consultations and engagement.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) have started developing a Collaborative Management Partnership (CMP) aimed at strengthening conservation efforts in the Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape.
The move follows approval by the UWA Board of Trustees for the two organisations to design a partnership framework that will support improved management of the landscape and promote sustainable development in the region.
The proposed partnership builds on more than 30 years of collaboration between UWA and AWF in wildlife conservation and protected area management. It will focus on strengthening biodiversity conservation, improving protected area management, combating wildlife crime, supporting community-led conservation initiatives, and creating livelihood opportunities for communities around the landscape.
UWA and AWF said the ongoing consultative process seeks to mobilise additional financial and technical resources, enhance institutional capacity, and improve conservation outcomes while promoting socio-economic development within and around Kidepo Valley.
The organisations clarified that the proposed partnership will not affect government ownership or control of Kidepo Valley National Park and other protected areas.
“Government of Uganda will retain full ownership and management authority. Kidepo Valley National Park and all protected areas within the conservation landscape remain the property of the Government of Uganda and will continue to be managed by UWA in accordance with the Uganda Wildlife Act and other applicable laws,” the statement said.
The partnership, according to UWA and AWF, does not involve the sale, leasing, privatisation, transfer of ownership, or transfer of management authority over any protected area.
The two institutions also emphasised that communities, local leaders, cultural institutions, district governments, and other stakeholders will remain central to the process through continuous consultations and engagement.
The final framework will be subjected to government review and approval processes before implementation.
UWA, the government agency responsible for conserving and managing Uganda’s wildlife resources, manages national parks, wildlife reserves, sanctuaries, and community conservation areas across the country.
AWF, founded in 1961, works across Africa to protect wildlife and wild lands through conservation science, policy, community partnerships, and sustainable development initiatives.
