Flying geese: Roberto Bartoloni BirdLife believes that eliminating poverty and conserving biodiversity are pressing and interlinked global challenges, and that both should be regarded as moral imperatives. Zoom In

New partnership to improve African biodiversity and livelihoods

16-05-2008

The Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID) is funding a BirdLife International in Africa project for the first time. The project aims to support Africa’s poor through sustainable use of biodiversity. This will be achieved through improving the livelihoods of local communities by promoting sustainable use of renewable natural resources.

The BirdLife Africa Secretariat will work alongside Partners to build capacity for policy dialogue at local, national, regional and global levels. The project will be implemented by Site Support Groups (SSGs) based at Important Bird Areas – international biodiversity hotspots. The SSGs will illustrate linkages between poverty reduction and the sustainable biodiversity use. Successful examples of local communities and national NGOs working in partnership will also be promoted.

“The project illustrates the strength of the BirdLife Partnership as SEO (BirdLife in Spain) played a crucial role in bringing the work of the BirdLife Africa network to the attention of AECID” —Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, Africa Regional Director of BirdLife International

A recent start-up meeting in Nairobi was attended by senior AECID officials. Delegates discussed project management, objectives and expected results among other issues – the objectives included:

• Support to six SSGs linking sustainable livelihood projects to locally available renewable resources.
• Production of a ‘Best Practice’ booklet and tailored advocacy materials.Increased local NGO participation in national biodiversity policies.
• Enhanced capacity of BirdLife International and its Partners for biodiversity advocacy and policy-making.

Jane Gaithuma Delegates at a joint AECID / BirdLife Africa project meeting in Nairobi. Zoom In

“We are very interested in working in Africa with BirdLife to achieve AECID’s aims and objectives” —Mr Jose Garcia Jimenez, Head of the AECID Azahar Programme

“BirdLife and our Partners are committed to successful project delivery”, said Dr Hazell Shokellu Thompson - Africa Regional Director of BirdLife International. “The project illustrates the strength of the BirdLife Partnership as SEO (BirdLife in Spain) played a crucial role in bringing the work of the BirdLife Africa network to the attention of AECID.”

“We are very interested in working in Africa and BirdLife to achieve AECID’s aims and objectives. You can count on us to work with you and to support you through this project” remarked Mr Jose Garcia Jimenez the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECID) head of the Azahar Programme.

AECID aims to fight poverty - increasing capacity to afford people a sustainable and dignified standard of living. The AECID environmental cooperation seeks to generate a real impact on people in developing countries balanced with the preservation of natural resources. Conservation of biological diversity, development of local populations and strengthening organizations and institutions are among the AECID’s themes for international cooperation.

The project is being implemented by BirdLife Partners in Kenya, South Africa and Ethiopia. Collaborating Partners include BirdLife International Africa Partnership Secretariat, BirdLife South Africa (BirdLife in South Africa), Ethiopia Wildlife and Natural History Society (BirdLife in Ethiopea) and Nature Kenya (BirdLife in Kenya).

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