Policy Brief on “COVID-19 and Africa’s Great Apes – Sustaining Conservation through Responsible Tourism Launched

Blog | 19/07/22

IGCP in collaboration with Conservation Through Public Health – CTPH and the Africa CSOs Biodiversity Alliance – ACBA is delighted to have finally launched the policy brief on Africa’s Great Apes – Sustaining Conservation through Responsible Tourism”. Authored by Alice Mbayahi, IGCP Communications and Advocacy Manager and Dr. Gladys Zikusoka of CTPH the policy brief highlights key challenges and threats facing Africa’s great apes in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic and beyond and offers actionable recommendations for a One Health approach that can achieve great ape conservation, responsible tourism, and community benefits.
https://igcp.org/content/uploads/2022/07/POLICY-BRIEF-ON-AFRICAS-GREATAPES-AND-COVID-19-ENGLISH.pdf.
The launch ceremony was held on 19th July 2022 during the IUCN Protected Areas Congress which convened in Kigali-Rwanda.


Several dignitaries including the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda
Development Board Mr. Zephanie Niyonkuru, Chief Executive Officers
for renown tour companies in Rwanda and Uganda – Mr. Manzi Kayihura of A thousand Hills Tours and Travels and Moman Praveen of Volcanoes Safaris respectively attended the launch and participated in the panel
discussions about the policy brief. Speaking at the launch of the Policy
Brief, Wellard Makambo IGCP Director, said, “With booming great apes’ tourism, there is an urgency of emphasizing on the best tourism
practices to protect and manage endangered populations of great apes. A one health approach is therefore needed.”

The International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) currently consists of Conservation International, Fauna & Flora International and the World Wide Fund for Nature. We recognise that the earth's survival is dependent on humanity's ability to maintain a healthy and balanced environment that includes all species of wildlife.