Tanzania: TANAPA Hosts Saudi, Tanzania Youth Dialogue Forum

Arusha — MORE than 50 youths from Saudi Arabia have joined their Tanzanian counterparts in Arusha for the first ever two-state Youth Dialogue Forum which deals mostly with biodiversity issues.

Hosted by the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), the main theme of the forum is 'Construction and implementation of the regulatory framework for biodiversity conservation,' and has attracted more than 50 youths and scholars from both Tanzania and Saudi Arabia.

"They will have an opportunity to interact and discuss the future of biodiversity conservation in the two countries," stated Dr Allan Kijazi, TANAPA Director General, lauding Saudi Arabia for selecting Tanzania to be the first country to host the forum.

Ms Ohoud Al-Arifi from the Alyamamah University of Saudi Arabia said she was really excited with the event and looked forward to gaining plenty of experience from Tanzanian scholars, especially those studying at Mweka College of Wildlife in Kilimanjaro region who would also be attending the forum.

Mr Kundael John Lema, a student at Mweka Wildlife College, said young people were taking major initiatives in the conservation of the flora and fauna and that it was not just taking up studies on wildlife but spearheading the mission which should also influence and spread to coming generations "Tanzania, in association with a number of foreign developing partners, has been conducting a number of researches and studies on wildlife such as wild dogs, lions, rhinoceroses and others.

It is thus also time for Saudi Arabian wildlife institutes to embark on similar studies here," said Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Benard Membe.

Youths attending the forum will visit Serengeti National Park for three days and have a field experience by visiting various conservation projects in the area, such as the rhino management programme; wild dogs reintroduction project as well as lion and hyena research projects.

While in Tanzania, the delegates will visit some wildlife institutions in the country, such as the College of African Wildlife Management Mweka, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Kilimanjaro National Park.