Kigali, 1 November 2018
President Kagame today addressed the Business of Conservation Conference which kicked off in Kigali, under the theme: Investing in One of Africa’s Greatest Assets
Organised by the African Leadership University (ALU), the three day conference brings together over 300 participants from 35 countries to gain a better understand of one of Africa’s greatest competitive advantages and learn how the wildlife economy is providing tangible socio-economic benefits to communities, providing jobs and serving as the most powerful incentive for conservation.
In his address, President Kagame reiterated that the business of conservation is everyone’s business, especially for a country like Rwanda where the majority of the population is engaged in agriculture and where tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner.
“Like its people, Rwanda’s lands and wildlife suffered the consequences of catastrophes, both natural and man-made. But protecting and managing Rwanda’s unique biodiversity has been a national priority for the last twenty-five years. The fact that this conference is taking place here is a testament to the hard work of Rwandans who understand that conservation is an integral part of our vision for socioeconomic transformation. This mindset is important as it allows us to invest in and focus on important aspects of conservation.”
Top African CEOs, political leaders, technologists, investors, entrepreneurs and innovative conservationists will explore practical avenues to economic growth in Africa through wildlife conservation.