Biodiversity and conservation experts have described the inscription of Rwanda's Nyungwe National Park on UNESCO's World Heritage List as an opportunity to boost tourism, spur job creation and tap into the global carbon market.
Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda's largest rainforest became the country's first site to get UNESCO's coveted World Heritage status on Tuesday, September 19, during the UN agency's 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, taking place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
"The forest has a lot of biodiversity species and has a great contribution to carbon stock," she noted. "This inscription is not only a contribution to the preservation of Rwanda's natural heritage, it is also of particular significance to the Rwandan people, for whom it is the first site inscribed on this universal list," Bizimana said in a statement.The expansive rainforest that covers up to 101,900 hectares feeds two of the world's longest rivers - River Nile and River Congo - and is the source of up to 70 per cent of Rwanda's freshwater.
"It is the source of River Nile. If well protected, Nyungwe will sustainably supply water to all countries benefiting from the Nile. Its nomination will also increase the political visibility of Rwanda," he said.
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