During the celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites on Tuesday, April 18, 2024, Mr. Eric Kitakya, the chief conservator of the Northern sector of the Virunga National Park (PNVi), made an urgent appeal. He emphasized the dire consequences of the increasing insecurity on the region’s tourist sites. Kitakya highlighted the vital impact of these sites on the region’s socio-economic life, pointing out that tourism generates funds and contributes directly to local employment, thereby bolstering household incomes. Additionally, tourism allows for the discovery of other cultures, enriching the region’s cultural heritage.
The conservator stressed the importance of protecting these sites, linking conservation to the preservation of resources for future generations while using them sustainably. However, the growing insecurity caused by the activities of foreign rebels and local militias, including the ADF nebula, has devastating consequences on the activities and revenues associated with tourist sites. Kitakya urgently called for the involvement of the Congolese state to eradicate this alarming situation, emphasizing the crucial need for the state to ensure security across the entire national territory due to significant revenue loss. He reminded that the Virunga National Park is part of the state’s heritage and urged the state to assume its responsibilities to protect these precious sites.
In the Northern sector of the Virunga National Park, several iconic sites are located, including the archaeological sites of Ishango, the eternal snows on Mount Ruwenzori, and Mount Tshiabirimu, the habitat of lowland gorillas.
By Fred MASTAKI