"First continent-wide meeting aims to set out plans to halt and reverse habitat and species loss in protected areas on land and sea".

"KIGALI - African leaders will gather in the Rwandan capital this week for the first continent-wide meeting to set out plans for the conservation of nature across Africa.

The IUCN Africa Protected Areas Congress (Apac) in Kigali will attract close to 3,000 delegates, including protected area directors from the continent’s 54 countries, youth leaders and Indigenous and community representatives, to discuss the role of protected areas in conserving nature, promoting sustainable development, and safeguarding the continent’s wildlife.

The meeting, led by the Rwandan prime minister, Edouard Ngirente, will outline long-term strategies to halt and reverse the rapid loss of species and habitats in Africa’s more than 8,500 protected areas, covering 14% of land and 17% of its marine area. According to a UN report, 6,419 animal species and 3,148 plant species in Africa are threatened with extinction."

Peter Muiruri reports for the Guardian July 17, 2022. [2]