Wildlife Authority prepares for CHOGM
Aug 27, 2007
UGANDA will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2007 when over 2,000 delegates from 54 Commonwealth countries will arrive in the country. Countries that have hosted the event can attest to the positive benefits they reaped from hosting such a large array of distingu
By Moses Mapesa
UGANDA will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2007 when over 2,000 delegates from 54 Commonwealth countries will arrive in the country. Countries that have hosted the event can attest to the positive benefits they reaped from hosting such a large array of distinguished guests.
Some of the benefits include the following:-
It is an opportunity for citizens of the host country to increase their incomes by taking advantage of the business opportunities accruing from the summit activities.
The host country can showcase their culture, natural heritage and tourist attractions to other Commonwealth member countries.
The host country benefits a lot from the international exposure that results from hosting so many people. Most often, the tourism industry reaps big from such exposure.
Where Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) comes in
Currently, the tourism sector is the leading foreign exchange earner in Uganda, bringing in over $200m annually. In addition, it is a big employer, with several Ugandans working in the hotel industry, tour companies, airlines, transport, telecommunications, arts and craft, food, souvenirs, theatre, music and cultural institutions. In other words the tourism sector has many forward and backward linkages, all of which contribute to the overall government objective of poverty reduction and wealth creation.
It is only three months to CHOGM and there has been panic about the nation’s preparedness for the event, which has long-term benefits to our economy and tourism in particular. Because of this, UWA would like to share with the public our level of preparedness.
UWA has prepared and implemented projects to improve her Protected Areas. This is aimed at keeping the Protected Areas attractive and boosting tourism in these areas even after CHOGM.
UWA has undertaken the following programmes
Redesigned the Protected Areas’ Brochures and is redesigning their website. This will help in availing information and help tourists make choices about which places to visit and what activities to be engaged in.
UWA is working with Civil Aviation Authority to improve airstrips in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison and Kidepo national parks to ease access to these parks.
Ensured safety and security of the protected areas with active ground, marine and air patrols in collaboration with other security agencies. Refresher training has been undertaken for over 300 rangers and another batch of 300 rangers will be retrained in September. The refresher training covers customer care, visitor handling, first aid, information and interpretation among others.
A DVD highlighting the beauty of the wildlife and nature-based photographs have been prepared and has been made available to the head of CHOGM Publicity committee.
These photographs could be used on billboards, post-cards and souvenirs to promote wildlife and nature-based tourism as many Ugandans have suggested.
Communication Systems are in place for all the national parks and wildlife reserves with mobile phone and internee services. By November 2007, the radio communication system will have been replaced. This will ensure effective communication and management of tourism activities in these parks.
The gates to different national parks have been rehabilitated with financial assistance from the European Union and these will be equipped with tourist information on what to do and where to go in the parks and the reserves.
The Queen’s Pavilion at Kikorongo, where the Queen set foot during her visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park in 1954, is being rehabilitated and expanded to provide more services in collaboration with the British High Commission. This will be one of the sites to be visited by the CHOGM delegates. An information centre with an internee café, souvenir shops, restaurants and craft shops will be part of the establishment at this site.
Customer care training has been undertaken for a team of core UWA staff that will be specifically charged with receiving and guiding CHOGM visitors to all the parks and reserves. These will provide guiding and interpretation services on the boats and launches on water in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo national parks; nature walks in the forested parks and game drives in the savannah parks.
Staff at all UWA gates have also been trained in handling visitors as well as those in the reservation office.
Consideration has been made on taking on volunteers should the need arise and a special course will be run for them in October 2007.
A special appeal has been made to the Ministry of Works and Communications to improve on access roads to the protected areas, particularly Kabale-Kanungu-Butotogota-Buhoma to Bwindi; Kihihi-Ishasha-Katungulu for Queen Elizabeth; Fort Portal-Karuguto-Ntoroko for Semliki; Kichumbanyobo-Paraa for Murchison Falls and kitgum-Orom-Karenga-Apoka for Kidepo.
Like every other agency, UWA has financial constraints and there are services that may not be improved before CHOGM, unless there is direct intervention from the Government, like replacement of the launch boats in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks and the Paraa ferry. UWA has finalised plans to have the private sector help out with this through some partnership management agreements or outright privatisation.
Uganda Wildlife Authority is continuously getting prepared for CHOGM and with the support of all her partners in conservation will continue to improve its services to offer the best during and after CHOGM.
It is against the above background that UWA would like to appeal to the public and stakeholders particularly those who have visited the various parks and reserves to provide some constructive advice and feedback on how we can further enhance our image and promote our country.
The writer is the executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority
UGANDA will host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2007 when over 2,000 delegates from 54 Commonwealth countries will arrive in the country. Countries that have hosted the event can attest to the positive benefits they reaped from hosting such a large array of distinguished guests.
Some of the benefits include the following:-
Where Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) comes in
Currently, the tourism sector is the leading foreign exchange earner in Uganda, bringing in over $200m annually. In addition, it is a big employer, with several Ugandans working in the hotel industry, tour companies, airlines, transport, telecommunications, arts and craft, food, souvenirs, theatre, music and cultural institutions. In other words the tourism sector has many forward and backward linkages, all of which contribute to the overall government objective of poverty reduction and wealth creation.
It is only three months to CHOGM and there has been panic about the nation’s preparedness for the event, which has long-term benefits to our economy and tourism in particular. Because of this, UWA would like to share with the public our level of preparedness.
UWA has prepared and implemented projects to improve her Protected Areas. This is aimed at keeping the Protected Areas attractive and boosting tourism in these areas even after CHOGM.
UWA has undertaken the following programmes
Redesigned the Protected Areas’ Brochures and is redesigning their website. This will help in availing information and help tourists make choices about which places to visit and what activities to be engaged in.
UWA is working with Civil Aviation Authority to improve airstrips in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison and Kidepo national parks to ease access to these parks.
Ensured safety and security of the protected areas with active ground, marine and air patrols in collaboration with other security agencies. Refresher training has been undertaken for over 300 rangers and another batch of 300 rangers will be retrained in September. The refresher training covers customer care, visitor handling, first aid, information and interpretation among others.
A DVD highlighting the beauty of the wildlife and nature-based photographs have been prepared and has been made available to the head of CHOGM Publicity committee.
These photographs could be used on billboards, post-cards and souvenirs to promote wildlife and nature-based tourism as many Ugandans have suggested.
Communication Systems are in place for all the national parks and wildlife reserves with mobile phone and internee services. By November 2007, the radio communication system will have been replaced. This will ensure effective communication and management of tourism activities in these parks.
The gates to different national parks have been rehabilitated with financial assistance from the European Union and these will be equipped with tourist information on what to do and where to go in the parks and the reserves.
The Queen’s Pavilion at Kikorongo, where the Queen set foot during her visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park in 1954, is being rehabilitated and expanded to provide more services in collaboration with the British High Commission. This will be one of the sites to be visited by the CHOGM delegates. An information centre with an internee café, souvenir shops, restaurants and craft shops will be part of the establishment at this site.
Customer care training has been undertaken for a team of core UWA staff that will be specifically charged with receiving and guiding CHOGM visitors to all the parks and reserves. These will provide guiding and interpretation services on the boats and launches on water in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo national parks; nature walks in the forested parks and game drives in the savannah parks.
Staff at all UWA gates have also been trained in handling visitors as well as those in the reservation office.
Consideration has been made on taking on volunteers should the need arise and a special course will be run for them in October 2007.
A special appeal has been made to the Ministry of Works and Communications to improve on access roads to the protected areas, particularly Kabale-Kanungu-Butotogota-Buhoma to Bwindi; Kihihi-Ishasha-Katungulu for Queen Elizabeth; Fort Portal-Karuguto-Ntoroko for Semliki; Kichumbanyobo-Paraa for Murchison Falls and kitgum-Orom-Karenga-Apoka for Kidepo.
Like every other agency, UWA has financial constraints and there are services that may not be improved before CHOGM, unless there is direct intervention from the Government, like replacement of the launch boats in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls national parks and the Paraa ferry. UWA has finalised plans to have the private sector help out with this through some partnership management agreements or outright privatisation.
Uganda Wildlife Authority is continuously getting prepared for CHOGM and with the support of all her partners in conservation will continue to improve its services to offer the best during and after CHOGM.
It is against the above background that UWA would like to appeal to the public and stakeholders particularly those who have visited the various parks and reserves to provide some constructive advice and feedback on how we can further enhance our image and promote our country.
The writer is the executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority