In its mission to protect and preserve the environment, the Burundian #Office for the Protection of the Environment (#OBPE), held an awareness-raising session for researchers, border guard officials and agents from this institution on the #Protocole of Nagoya and the #Convention CITES, on May 8, 2024.

These categories of participants were in Bujumbura in order to be made aware of the implementation of the. Nagoya's #Protocole and the #Convention CITES that the #Burundi has ratified.

For the #Directeur General of #OBPE, HATUNGIMANA Berchmans,

The current situation with regard to the implementation of these conventions has shortcomings because the institutions empowered to regulate international trade in animal and plant species are not being carried out as provided for by international texts to guarantee sustainable development resulting from genetic resources that exist on Burundian soil.

He said that these shortcomings are often due to the lack of information and qualified personnel in the field to ensure proper control of this trade. He adds that this awareness-raising session for these executives from various institutions that are much more concerned will allow the effective implementation of #Nago ya's #Protocole and the #Convention CITES. He then recalled that these sessions will be multiplied to include frameworks capable of guaranteeing the effective implementation of these conventions.

This awareness-raising session was marked by presentations explaining the role and importance of #Nagoya's #Protocole, where it aims at equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources such as plants, animals and bacteria or other organisms existing on Burundian territory.

According to one of the panelists, #Longin Ndayikeza, the trade in certain species escapes the vigilance of border guards or #OBR or even agents of #OBPE due to the lack of information on the importance of species or by the malignancy of some people who practice this trade that does not benefit the nation country anything.

He specified that #OBPE intends to have qualified personnel at the four border posts including (#Gasenyi, #Gatumba, #Kobero and #Nemba) to ensure the control and implementation of these international conventions.

To the two panelists, including Odette Manirakiza and Delatus Niyongabo, one emphasized the importance of respecting the texts governing the trade in cash so that the country can draw profiles that can benefit any nation instead of one person monopolizing these profiles alone.

For Niyongabo Delatus, the #Convention CITES, is governed by international texts showing how the import net the export or even the introduction of species must be done, he indicated that any species sold must have a document issued by the country of origin and transitory to the country of destination, so the #Convention CITES requires that he have a “permit” document for each species crossing borders.

#L Man still depends on nature for survival