Gambella agreement good news for biodiversity in Ethiopia

The agreement is a boost for conservation in Ethiopia. 

Ethiopia is home to nine diverse national parks, which are spread across the country and showcase a variety of landscapes, ecosystems, and wildlife. These parks play an important role in conservation efforts and offer opportunities for eco-tourism.   

However, conservation in Ethiopia is under pressure for a number of reasons. A lack of funding, limited resources, environmental degradation, extreme weather events, political instability and human-wildlife conflicts hinder efforts to protect large ecosystems and landscapes.

The government and NGOs working on conservation often face budgetary constraints, which affect the capacity to enforce regulations, fund research, and protect biodiversity effectively.

Moreover, many of Ethiopia’s protected areas lack sufficient staff and resources to ensure their protection. This often results in poor management and weak enforcement of laws protecting wildlife and natural resources.

Lack of infrastructure a constraint

Most of Ethiopia’s national parks and protected areas are in remote locations, making access difficult. Poor infrastructure like inadequate roads, a lack of facilities and insufficient transportation options, hampers both conservation efforts and ecotourism development.

Without proper infrastructure, monitoring wildlife populations, enforcing laws, and conducting scientific research become significantly harder, making it difficult to assess conservation needs and trends.

Landmark long-term agreement

In a landmark deal signed last week, the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) and the President of the Gambella Peoples’ National Regional State (the Gambella State) agreed upon a long-term management partnership with conservation NGO African Parks to manage the Gambella National Park, the largest national park in Ethiopia.

Gambella National Park, situated in the south-western part of Ethiopia, covers approximately 4,575 square kilometres.

Established as a national park in 1973 to preserve its exceptional biodiversity and important wetland habitats, Gambella forms part of a much larger contiguous system of protected areas covering southern Ethiopia and neighbouring South Sudan.

Located between two major river systems, the Baro River in the north and Akobo River in the south, Gambella is rich in its species variety, including the country’s largest remaining population of elephant and one of the most endangered giraffe populations in the world – the Nubian giraffe. It also hosts large populations of white-eared kob, Nile lechwe, over 230 bird species and 113 fish species.

Gambella’s social and ecological value

Gambella National Park has vital social and ecological value. It forms part of an important ecosystem within the Gambella Peoples’ National Regional State, on which local communities and wildlife populations rely for survival.

Gambella Peoples’ National Regional State is a region in western Ethiopia. Its western boundary includes the Openo River. Gambella covers an area of approximately 29,783 square kilometres and is richly endowed with natural resources.

The region is inhabited by various pastoral and agricultural Nilotic communities, including the Nuer, Anuak and Majang, as well as Omotic peoples – comprising a local population estimated to be approximately 400,000.

Gambella  forms a key part of a much larger natural system that stretches across southern Ethiopia and South Sudan, which is home to the largest land mammal migration on Earth. More than six million antelope annually move across the broader landscape which incorporates Gambella and South Sudan’s Boma-Badingilo national parks.

Strategy for conserving biodiversity

Last week’s agreement will allow a collaborative partnership between African Parks, EWCA, the Gambella State, and local communities to channel significant new investment into the region and to develop a comprehensive strategy for conserving the park’s biodiversity.

This will enable the region to develop resilience to climate change while promoting the sustainable use of resources for the benefit of the people who depend on them for their livelihoods. To achieve long-term success and sustainable conservation efforts, the partnership will start with a 12-month transition period, enabling African Parks to better understand the needs of the communities living around the park and to co-create a management plan with input from local stakeholders.

The article was compiled, edited and published by Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine

Gambella agreement good news for biodiversity in Ethiopia