SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY, FIRST LADY MARGARET

KENYATTA DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE

INTERNATIONL CONFERENCE ON ENGAGING LOCAL
COMMUNITIESINWILDLIFECONSERVATIONINKENYAATOLE
SERENI,HOTEL,NAIROBION18THMAY,2016.

Distinguishedguests,ConservationPartnersandFriends,
Goodmorning.
ItisparticularlyencouragingtobehereinthewakeofKenyas
recenttorchingof105tonnesofivoryand1.5tonnesofrhino
hornasastrongstatementagainstivorytrade.Aroundthe
world,wearewitnessingthegrowingrealizationthatour
animalsareworthmoretousalivethandead;protectingour
naturalheritageisbecominganincreasinglyprominentglobal
issue.
Themomentummustcontinue,andconservationeffortsmust
gainsteamsoIthanktheWorldBankGroupandtheUnited
NationsDevelopmentProgramforconveningthiscritical
conferenceandforcreatinginpartnershipwiththeGlobal
EnvironmentFacility(GEF)theGlobalWildlifeProgramto
investhundredsofmillionsofdollarsinholisticwildlife
conservationinterventions.

Weareallherebecauseweunderstandtheneedtokeepour
wildlifeprotected;weunderstandtheintegralrolethatwildlife
playsinourecosystems,oureconomies,andourlives.Were
herebecausewereinvestedinthisissueasbothasprofessionals
andaspeoplewhoarepartofawidercommunity.The
resolutionsandactionplansthatwedrawoverthenextthree
dayswilldefinejusthowsuccessfulwewillbeinfinding
sustainableconservationoptionstosafeguardourwildlifeand
ourcommunities.
Thismorning,weheardabouthowpastnaturalconservation
strategies,whichincorporatedatopdownapproach,failed.We
haveheardhowthesestrategiesgeneratedconflictsbetween
ruralcommunitiesandconservationagencies,howtheyledto
resentmentandapathybyruralcommunitiestowards
conservationattempts,andhowwildlifedeclinedasa
consequence.Soweknowthatthisunilateralwayof
approachingwildlifeconservationisultimatelyuntenable.
Insteadwhatweneed,isamoresynergisticapproachonethat
harnessesthecomplimentarycapabilitiesofdiversegroups
includingpolicymakers,philanthropists,conservationistsand
localcommunities.Intodaysage,itisimperativethatwefind
waysofeffectivelyengaginglocalcommunitiesasequal
partners,andstakeholdersintheconservationmovement.

Doingthat,beginsbyrecognizingthatlocalcommunitiesare
oftenthemostattunetothewildlifelandscapearoundthem;that
localcommunitiesaremostaffectedandhavemosttolosefrom
theactivitiesthatendangerwildlife,andthatlocalcommunities,
properlyinformed,aredeeplyinvestedinwildlifeconservation
andoftenabletoinnovatecreativewildlifeprotectionsolutions.
Acknowledgingthesefactsdevelopsourhumility,andhelpsus
listenfirst,seekingtolayafoundationofcomprehensive
understanding,beforebuildingsolutions;itensuresthatweact
wisely.
Ipersonallyhaveseenhowlocalcommunitiesarethemost
importantfirstlineofdefenceforouranimals.Takethe
innovativeImbirikaniWomenintheAmboseliNationalPark
MaasaiintheAmboselitheyhaveworkedtowardsbuilding
sustainablelivesforthemselveswhilstsecuringwildlife
sustainability.Theyareagreatexampleofhowcommunities
effectivelyengagedinconservationcancombatpoaching.The
Maasaipeopletoohavegonetoenormouslengthstoprotect
elephants.Currently,Amboselihasthelowestelephant
poachingrateinthecountry,andishometothelongestrunning
elephantresearchprojectintheworld.Ihavelearnedsomuch
fromspendingtimewithamazingwomenfromthiscommunity,

includingthemanywaysinwhichelephantsarejustlikehuman
beings.Infact,theMaasaiviewelephantsasspiritualbeings.
Ultimately,nomatterwheretheseexamplesofsuccessful
locallyledconservationeffortscomefrom,Ithinkwecanall
agreeontheneedforsucheffortstobescaledupandreplicated.
Acollaborative,consultativeandcommunityledmodelwhich
suchinitiativesoperateon,isultimatelymoresuccessfulthan
thetopdownapproacheswehaveseeninthepast,andismore
likelytosucceed.
Myhope,isthatthroughthisconferencemanymore
organizationswilladoptsuchamodelwherelocalpopulations
findavenuestocontributetheirinsights,viewsandvoicestothe
conservationconversation,andmanymorecommunityled
conservationinitiativesemerge.Asindigenouscommunities
becomemoreactivelyengagedinconservation,theirknowledge
becomesmorecentraltoourstrategybuilding;Iamconvinced
thatthemovementtoprotectanimalswillbeunstoppableand
that,ladiesandgentlemen,isgoodforallofus.
AsIconclude,Iwishyousuccessfuldeliberations,andInow
declaretheGlobalWildlifeConference2016officiallyopen.
Thankyouforyourattention.