President Kiir orders refresher training for rangers to combat poaching

By Awan Achiek

President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Tuesday ordered the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism together with partners to provide capacity building training for game rangers to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking in the country.

Kiir issued these directives during the launch of the comprehensive aerial wildlife survey.

“I call upon the security forces, particularly the Ministry of Wildlife and its partners to prioritize training and equipping wildlife rangers to combat poaching and wildlife trafficking within protected areas,” Kiir said.

Kiir warned that any individual found engaging in poaching and trafficking wildlife in the country should be arrested and arraigned in court.

He also encouraged the private sector to take advantage of the lucrative opportunities that come from investing in the tourism sector.

“I urge the private sector to embrace this exciting opportunity and invest in wildlife tourism ventures. Protecting our heritage is a shared responsibility,”  Kiir said.

He said that in the 1970s, the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism played a vital role in the nation’s revenue generation.

“We are deeply grateful to our development partners for their ongoing progress. I read again, we are deeply grateful to our development partners for their ongoing collaboration in promoting tourism in our nation,” Kiir noted.

He urged the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism to revitalize the wildlife sector by reactivating national parks like Nimule, Kiambe and Badingulo to attract foreign tourists and investors.

“As South Sudan continues to develop, we are committed to transforming the wildlife sector into a sustainable tourism industry,” he added.