Background

The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) is an intergovernmental organization established through the GVTC treaty signed in 2015 between DRC, Rwanda and Uganda as a Framework for programs and activities on wildlife conservation and tourism development within the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL). GVL is a unique ecological transboundary Landscape that comprises 7 national parks and 1 wildlife reserve, namely: Volcanoes NP in Rwanda; Virunga NP & Sarambwe Wildlife Reserve in DRC and Mgahinga Gorilla NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi NP, Rwenzori Mountain NP, and Semliki NP in Uganda.

The GVL is globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and habitat for rare and endangered wildlife species, such as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, African Elephants, Lions, hippopotamus extra with three World Heritage Sites (the Virunga NP, Rwenzori Mountains, and Bwindi NP), two Man & Biosphere Reserves (MAB, namely the Queen Elizabeth NP and Volcanoes NP), as well as RAMSAR sites (Lakes Georges and Edward).

The GVTC transboundary collaboration process started in the early 1990s as an informal collaboration mechanism initiated by the rangers charged to monitor the mountain gorillas that crossed from one country to another while the rangers were limited by migration regulations to cross over and ensure continuous monitoring. The Mountain Gorilla Population and its habitat were greatly threatened at that time. The Population had dropped from over 1000 individuals to around 250 individuals and close monitoring of the groups was essential to reduce the threat and allow recovery of the population. Therefore, the rangers across countries agreed to cooperate at the field level and effect transboundary monitoring. The success story was picked up by Protected Area Authorities of Rwanda (ORTPN then), Uganda (UWA) and DRC (ICCN) and initiated a formal process that culminated in the signing of the GVTC treaty by Ministers from the three partner states in 2015. From that time, tremendous results were achieved including the strengthened transboundary collaboration between the partner states, improvements of wildlife conservation in a transboundary perspective, set up of conversation framework between the partner states, promotion of transboundary tourism industry, …

Principles and Objectives of GVTC

The GVTC treaty guiding principles :

1. Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity
2. Equal status and treatment of Partner States
3. Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Livelihoods improvement
4. Sustainable Development
5. Community participation

The GVTC treaty objectives:

1. to promote and coordinate the conservation of biodiversity and related socio-cultural values within the Greater Virunga Protected Areas Network.
2. to develop strategies for collaborative management of biodiversity.
3. to promote and ensure coordinated planning, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of transboundary conservation and development programmes.
4. to promote and coordinate tourism development programmes in the Greater Virunga Landscape.
5. to secure sustainable funding for collaborative management of the Transboundary Protected Area Network to promote biodiversity conservation and tourism development in the Greater Virunga Landscape.
6. to enhance and harmonize the generation and sharing of knowledge, experience and best practices for evidence-based decision making.
7. to promote and support the safety and security of wildlife resources and tourists within the Greater Virunga Landscape, and
8. to engage in any other activity for the attainment of the Treaty’s objectives.

Please follow the link below to access the full text of the GVTC Treaty:

GVTC Treaty 30 Oct 2015