ANNUAL REPORT Three Countries, One Landscape! GREATER VIRUNGA TRANSBOUNDARY COLLABORATION. Intergovernmental Organization : DRC- Rwanda - Uganda

Transcription

1 Intergovernmental Organization : DRC- Rwanda - Uganda GREATER VIRUNGA TRANSBOUNDARY COLLABORATION Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) is a Mechanism for strategic, transboundary, collaborative management of the Greater Virunga Landscape. Set up by ICCN, RDB and UWA with their partners in the region, it started with ranger collaboration to protect mountain gorillas in Mgahinga, Bwindi, Virunga and Volcanoes NPs in Later it has expanded in scope (tourism, community conservation and research and monitoring). The area also now extends to central and north Virunga (DRC), Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki NPs (Uganda). The Executive Secretariat sits from 2008 in Kigali to coordinate and link stakeholders on behalf of the Protected Area Authorities and was strengthened in 2015 by a Treaty on the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration on Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Development signed by the three member countries: DRC, Rwanda & Uganda. ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Mandate: The GVTC is guided by a ten-year strategic plan as well as a five-year implementation plan which sets as a goal the improved conservation of species, habitats, and ecological services contributing to increased socio-economic benefits, through effective transboundary collaboration. The Executive Secretariat is mandated to raise funds on behalf of the three protected areas to support transboundary initiatives. Currently, the Executive Secretariat is implementing a three -year project funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands for Conserving Greater Virunga. Vision: The Central Albertine Rift Transfrontier Protected Area network together with surrounding landscape conserved sustainably Goals: Sustainable conservation of the Central Albertine Rift biodiversity for long term socio-economic development through strategic transboundary collaborative management Objectives: (1)Collaboration for improved conservation of natural resources; (2)Ensuring landscape level planning and management; (3)Sharing of skills and expertise; (4)Conservation benefit and cost sharing; (5) Facilitating research and ensuring better information management. info@greatervirunga.org Fb :Greatervirunga@gmail.com P.O. Box 6626 Kigali- Rwanda; KG 9 Av # 60 Tel: Nyarutarama Road Seventh Day Adeventist Church Building Three Countries, One Landscape! DRC Rwanda Uganda

2 ANNUAL REPORT 2016

3 ABBREVIATIONS I

4 II

5 TABLE OF CONTENT ABBREVIATIONS... I CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION Introduction Background of the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Transboundary trategic Plan Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Projects Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Priorities in CHAPTER TWO: ACHIEVEMENTS IN KRA 1: Land Management KRA 2: Effective and Efficient Management Capacity KRA 3: Transboundary Collaboration KRA 4: Communication and Information Management KRA 5: Natural Resource-Based Socio-Economic Development KRA 6: Financial Sustainability CHAPTER THREE: GOVERNANCE CHAPTER FOUR: VISIBILITY AND PARTNERSHIP Visibility Partnerships CHAPTER FIVE: FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE Financial Overview Statement of Financial Position Statement of Receipts and Expenditure CHAPTER SIX: KEY CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED Challenges GVTC Priorities III

6 CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Background of the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Figure 1: The Historical timeline of GVTC 1

7 Figure 2: Map of Greater Virunga Landscape 2

8 1.3 Transboundary trategic Plan 1.4 Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Projects GVTC 3

9 1.5 Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration Priorities in

10 CHAPTER TWO: ACHIEVEMENTS IN KRA 1: Land Management 1) Greater Virunga Landscape Climate Change mitigation and adaptation Strategy developed Figure 3: Experts and stakeholders develop GVL Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Action Plan in Entebbe 5

11 2) 6

12 Figure 4: Map of Lake Edward basin and the drainage system 2.2 KRA 2: Effective and Efficient Management Capacity 1) 7

13 2.3 KRA 3: Transboundary Collaboration Figure 5:Working group of the Regional Technical Committee on Community Conservation and Tourism Development 8

14 Figure 6: View of Sarambwe Reserve and its encroachment transboundary communities Figure7: Gorilla Census in Virunga Massif 9

15 2.4 KRA 4: Communication and Information Management 1) 10

16 2 2.5 KRA 5: Natural Resource-Based Socio-Economic Development Figure 8: communities living around the protected areas are largely dependent on natural resources of the park, namely firewood and charcoal 11

17 Figure 9: Mushroom production in the laboratory Figure 10 Mushroom growing in the group's Mushrooms House 12

18 13 Figure 11 Apiary established by Kasisa beekeeping Association along QENP boundary

19 Figure 12. Rwerere Community Commercial Center 14

20 2.6 KRA 6: Financial Sustainability 15

21 CHAPTER THREE: GOVERNANCE

22 17

23 CHAPTER FOUR: VISIBILITY AND PARTNERSHIP 4.1 Visibility Figure 13: GVTC Exhibition for conservation in GVL during Private Investment Partnership Conference in Kinshasa Communication on GVTC activities In 2016, GVTC communicated with its audiences trough promotional materials, namely leaflets, bulletins, calendars, annual reports, etc. 18

24 The website has been the core communication tool used for media coverage of GVTC activities achieved at Headquarters as well as in the field in 2016 as pointed out by the following graphic. visitors Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Jun. Jul. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. visitors Image 14: Graph of GVTC web site visits in 2016 Looking at the above graphic, it should be noticed that all GVTC communication materials or tools are produced both in French and in English. For the web site visitors, there is a great preference for English (86%) against French (10%). Besides, the number of website visitors generally increases when there is a job opportunity at GVTC published on the website. 3 Image 15: Working session with European Union Delegation 19

25 3) Increased Diplomatic Visits 4.2 Partnerships 20

26 Water for Virunga project Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust International Gorilla 21

27 Conservation Programme ITFC OVG INES 22

28 CHAPTER FIVE: FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 5.1 Financial Overview 23

29 5.2 Statement of Financial Position 24

30 5.3 Statement of Receipts and Expenditure 25

31 CHAPTER SIX: KEY CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED 6.1 Challenges GVTC Priorities ) Fast-tracking the process of ratification of the treaty and setting the GVTC governance structure as per the treaty 2) Pursue financial sustainability and broaden partnership for conservation in GVL 3) Functionalizing Information Center of Excellence for GVL 4) Building Capacity of GVTC partners and stakeholders in the GVL 5) Strengthening transboundary collaboration 6) Pursue scientific studies and researches to inform management of natural resources 7) Increase conservation benefits to local communities with more emphasis on providing water to the increasing population in the GVL 8) Monitor and report the status of conservation in the GVL 9) Implement GVL Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies 10) Develop and support implementation of GVL General Management Plan 11) Facilitate harmonization of wildlife crime policies, rules and regulations 12) Facilitate harmonization of Protected Area based management rules and regulations 26