Promoting conservation and management through transboundary co-operation in the African Great Lakes

Session: Interacting Threats on the African Great Lakes

Kevin Obiero, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research institute, [email protected]
Theodore Lawrence, African Center for Aquatic Research and Education, [email protected]
Jessica Ives, University of Windsor, [email protected]

Abstract

The African Great Lakes are invaluable resources for freshwater biological diversity and ecological services. Equally important is their role in sustaining human populations surrounding them. Due to the that multiple countries share these lake systems within their respective boundaries makes a great challenge for balancing human development needs against ecosystem protection and restoration. The major issues preventing sustainable management and sound policy implementation include lack of harmonized and prioritized research; lack of a centralized mechanism of communication; and inadequate collaboration and partnerships. Several multinational governance systems have been designed to grapple with these challenges. Reflecting the lake-specific advisory committee system in the Laurentian Great Lakes, we present the current process of formation of lake advisory groups on the seven African Great Lakes. In these groups, freshwater experts come together to influence the direction of necessary research and assist decision-makers in making informed, positive policies and management on freshwater lakes. The lake advisory groups are envisaged to increase opportunities for regional research cooperation, that will create consistent, credible, comparable long-term datasets and increase research impact on the sustainability of lakes, their biodiversity and ecosystems, and their critical livelihood support systems.

Twitter handle of presenter
@Kev_Obiero