South Sudan signs 10 mln USD deal for wildlife conservation-Xinhua

South Sudan signs 10 mln USD deal for wildlife conservation

Source: Xinhua| 2022-08-25 23:15:16|Editor: huaxia

JUBA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism on Thursday signed an agreement worth 10 million U.S. dollars with the African Parks, a conservation organization, to rehabilitate and manage its national parks to spur tourism.

Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Rizik Zakaria Hassan said the ten-year agreement will ensure the proper protection of wildlife species and also improve infrastructure in potential wildlife parks.

"We are expecting African Parks to utilize its vast experience of operation in many parks across the African continent to be able to change the narrative on wildlife and tourism in South Sudan," Zakaria said during the signing ceremony in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The African Parks is a non-profit conservation organization that takes on direct responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.

Peter Loro, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, said the partnership with the African Parks will particularly develop the Boma-Badingilo migratory landscape near the Ethiopian border. The Boma-Badingilo national park is home to species such as Rothschild's giraffe, African elephant, white-eared kob, Mongalla gazelle, Bohor reedbuck, Beisa oryx, and wild dog.

Peter Fearnhead, the chief executive officer of the African Parks, expressed optimism about his team rehabilitating game parks that have been affected by years of conflict since December 2013.

EXPLORE XINHUANET