Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva has said Rwanda’s conservation efforts must go hand in hand with improving the livelihoods of communities living around protected areas as the country expands efforts to protect the growing mountain gorilla population.

He said this on Friday, September 4, at the 21st Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony in Kinigi, Musanze District, attended by thousands of Rwandans and international guests.

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"In the early 1980s, there were only about 250 mountain gorillas left in the Virunga Massif. Poaching, habitat losses, and social conflicts had pushed the species towards extinction,” Nsengiyumva said.

"Today, there are more than a thousand mountain gorillas in the world, including more than 600 in the Virunga Massif. This remarkable recovery did not happen by chance.”

He attributed the recovery to the work of rangers, veterinarians and researchers, as well as strong conservation policies, responsible tourism and collaboration among governments, communities, the private sector, conservation organisations and international partners.

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"The mountain gorillas and the tourism they have attracted have helped strengthen the socioeconomic fabric of surrounding communities, creating jobs, supporting local businesses, attracting investments, and opening new pathways for families and young people to improve their livelihoods,” he added.

Nsengiyumva said Rwanda is seeking to maintain this balance as it expands Volcanoes National Park to provide additional habitat for the growing mountain gorilla population while ensuring that communities affected by the expansion also benefit.

As part of this approach, the government last week launched the construction of the Smart Green Village, a more than $49 million investment that will support 547 households affected by the expansion of Volcanoes National Park.

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The project will provide the affected households with modern housing, essential services and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

"We will do this by protecting the habitats, by investing in the science and technology needed to respond to climate and health risks, and by ensuring that the communities who share this landscape have the opportunities and means to sustain it,” Nsengiyumva said.

Jean Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), said the same principle guides the Volcanoes National Park expansion programme.

"The expansion will provide more habitats for growing mountain gorilla families,” Afrika said. "At the same time, it will support neighboring communities through better housing, infrastructure, services, and new economic opportunities.”

According to Maurice Mugabowagahunde, Governor of Northern Province, members of the community around Volcanoes National Park continue to benefit from the Tourism Revenue Sharing Programme, which supports projects aimed at improving their livelihoods.

"Since the programme started, 740 community projects have been supported with Rwf8.6 billion. These projects have been implemented in 12 sectors bordering Volcanoes National Park across Musanze, Nyabihu, Burera and Rubavu districts,” he said.

Mugabowagahunde said communities around Volcanoes National Park will receive an additional Rwf2 billion this year to support projects aimed at improving their livelihoods.