UWA senior management has held a meeting with a consortium of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) involved in conservation efforts across Uganda. Taking place at Protea Hotel in Entebbe, the meeting is focused on enhancing collaboration and harmonizing efforts within Uganda's protected areas to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of conservation initiatives, ultimately maximizing their impact.

The meeting’s primary objectives include aligning the activities of UWA and the various NGOs to address challenges more cohesively and to implement strategies that will yield significant, sustainable results in wildlife conservation across the country. This collaboration is essential to ensuring that the shared goals of conserving Uganda’s rich biodiversity are met while streamlining operations to avoid duplication of efforts and resources.

In his opening remarks, Sam Mwandha, the Executive Director of UWA, highlighted the importance of collective action in achieving conservation goals. “This meeting arks is important for our conservation efforts. By working closely with our NGO partners, we can leverage their expertise and resources to overcome challenges more effectively. “While support from partners is always valued, UWA remains the primary implementing agency responsible for wildlife management in Uganda and all partner activities should be aligned with UWA’s plans for effective implementation and monitoring”, he said. Mwandha also expressed his appreciation to the consortium for organizing the meeting and for their ongoing support adding that UWA remains committed to strong partnerships to ensure the protection and sustainability of Uganda’s natural heritage.

Dr. Simon Nampindo, the Country Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), highlighted the crucial role of support in advancing UWA’s conservation efforts: “Our collaboration with UWA is essential for the success of conservation initiatives in Uganda. Our collective efforts are more effective and impactful if our support is aligned with UWA’s plans”.

Ivan Tumuhimbise, the Country Director for the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), highlighted the significance of collaboration with UWA “Effective conservation requires strong partnerships and collaboration. We will continue to work closely with UWA to support its conservation efforts. We believe that collaboration can enhance our collective impact and address the challenges facing Uganda’s wildlife more effectively. We therefore need to ensure that our joint efforts are strategic and successful in preserving Uganda’s natural heritage.”

The NGOs consortium comprise of Wildlife Conservation Society, Space for Giants, Worldwide Fund for Nature, WildAid, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Natural Resources Conservation Network, African Wildlife Foundation, Focused Foundation.

The meeting yielded a framework for enhanced collaboration, establish streamlined communication strategies, and strengthen the alignment of UWA and NGO activities, thereby boosting the overall effectiveness and impact of conservation efforts across Uganda’s protected areas.