The Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS), in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Environment and other partners, is organizing the second Africa Regional Mountains Forum (ARMF-2018). The conference will be held from September 12-14 in Kigali, Rwanda, under the theme ‘African Mountains and Sustainable Development Agenda’.
Mountain ecosystems are important for community livelihoods and the various ecosystem services they provide, playing a major role in many national economies. Yet most mountain ecosystems under enormous pressure and should be a priority for restoration.
The first Africa Regional Mountain Forum was organized by ARCOS in collaboration with the Africa Mountain Partnership Champions Committee, the East African Community, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Austrian Development Cooperation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. It was held in Arusha, Tanzania, from 22 to 24 October 2014. The ARMF-2014 resolutions were welcomed by the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) during its February 2015 session in Cairo, and the Africa Regional Mountain Forum is now recognized as a forum of knowledge, information exchange and policy dialogue.
It is in this context that the 2018 ARMF will bring together approximately 100 delegates from different regions across Africa, including government representatives, development actors, researchers, representatives of mountain communities, and political actors. This will be an opportunity to share experiences and best practices for the conservation and sustainable development of mountainous regions in Africa.
ARCOS is seeking sponsors and delegates for ARMF-2018. Please contact Sam Kanyamibwa, executive director of ARCOS, at skanyamibwa@arcosnetwork.org for more information.