What We’re Reading: In Africa, all conservation is local

The New York Times published an op-ed by Kenyan journalist Murithi Mutiga on Wednesday about the importance of engaging local communities in efforts to combat poaching. Community stakeholders, Murithi argues, could be conservationists’ greatest allies in the fight against wildlife-trafficking syndicates.

Wild animals may hold a special place in our global heritage, but all too often they threaten the livelihood of the farmers and herders who live near nature reserves and game parks. Elephants routinely trample precious crops, and carnivores sometimes ravage whole herds of livestock.

Poachers have astutely tapped into this reserve of local grievances — made worse by high rates of poverty and unemployment — and struck up partnerships with people in communities around game parks.

……

Most Kenyans support conservation efforts. But in a country where arable land is exceedingly scarce and about a tenth of the land area is reserved for national parks and reserves, the authorities should take a more sophisticated approach in winning local support for conservation initiatives.

African countries, the author notes, could learn from Nepal, which gives special rights to communities living around major national parks – including royalties of 30 - 50 percent of the proceeds from park entry fees. The result is a local community invested in protecting the park and a massive decline in poaching.

Namibia has also had success with the community-based conservation model. The country's world-renowned conservancy program has empowered communities to create their own conservancies to manage and sustainably benefit from wildlife on communal land, including through tourism. 

Senator Coons, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations African Affairs Subcommittee, has been a leading voice in the Senate for wildlife conservation and efforts to combat poaching in Africa. His third annual Opportunity: Africa conference, held earlier this month in Wilmington, featured a workshop on ending poaching and protecting Africa’s wildlife led by conservation experts from the State Department and World Wildlife Fund, as well as John Kasaona, a Namibian pioneer of community-based conservation. John was also a featured speaker at a Senate briefing on wildlife trafficking hosted by Senator Coons earlier this month.

Click here to read the full article on the New York Times’ website.

International Criminal Court at risk as Kenyan trials get underway

As the International Criminal Court (ICC) trials of Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto and former radio executive Joshua Sang begin at the Hague, the Court’s future credibility and effectiveness in delivering justice for victims of state-sponsored atrocities is in jeopardy. Ruto and Sang – as well as current President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose trial will begin in November – are accused of committing crimes against humanity during the widespread, ethnically-tinged violence that followed Kenya’s disputed December 2007 presidential election. In Kenya, the prosecution of high-level officials by the ICC has prompted a motion by the Kenyan Parliament calling for withdrawal from the ICC and cessation of cooperation with the Court. Kenya has been an ICC member state since 2005.

Though the current trials will move forward regardless of Kenya’s decision, the Kenyan government’s energetic campaign to discredit the ICC among its African peers has successfully damaged the ICC’s standing in Africa. The campaign paints the ICC as a “foreign” institution that targets Africans while ignoring the transgressions of Europeans and others guilty of heinous crimes. The African Union has openly supported the efforts of Kenya, Sudan, and others to undermine the ICC’s credibility and effectiveness. 

It’s important to remember, however, that the ICC began investigating the Kenyan cases only after the Kenyan government failed to meet the commitments made by its own president to either investigate and prosecute those responsible for the post-election violence or refer the cases to the ICC. The ICC represented the only avenue for justice for more than 1,100 Kenyans killed and hundreds of thousands displaced by the post-election conflict; just as it was the only entity capable of prosecuting President Bashir of Sudan for the genocide that left several hundred thousand dead in Darfur.

The ICC is not a panacea nor should it be seen as a first resort. However, the participation of Kenya and the majority of African states in the ICC has demonstrated, in the words of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, a dedication “to tipping the balance in favor of justice and away from impunity.”

Unfortunately, that commitment is waning.  African Union snubs and active campaigns by indictees to intimidate witnesses have already weakened the ICC’s ability to effectively prosecute cases. If Kenya withdraws, other states may follow, leaving millions of victims of atrocities with limited hope of recourse when their national institutions fail them. That would indeed be a tragedy.  As President Obama so eloquently stated in 2010, “In Kenya and beyond, justice is a critical ingredient for lasting peace.” 

Video: Senator Coons issues recommendations on boosting trade with Africa

Senator Coons unveiled an 18-page report detailing recommendations for boosting U.S. trade with Africa on Thursday, convening a press conference in the Capitol to unveil it. Standing with him to talk about the report and about why stronger African economies benefit the United States were Kenyan Ambassador to the United States Elkanah Odembo, the Chamber of Commerce's Scott Eisner, and the Corporate Council on Africa's Stephen Hayes. Videos of each of their remarks are below.

Senator Coons' remarks in announcing the report are below:

His Excellency Elkanah Odembo, Ambassador of Kenya to the United States:

Scott Eisner, Vice President for African Affairs of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce:

Stephen Hayes, President of the Corporate Council on Africa:

Opportunity: Africa, as told through Twitter

Senators Coons and Kerry urge administration to expand licensing of aid providers in Somalia

Just days after chairing a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs looking into the growing famine and drought crisis in the Horn of Africa, Senator Coons joined Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry today in calling for the administration to license additional humanitarian groups to distribute aid in Somalia.

“In the Horn of Africa today, over 12 million people are in desperate need of food and water amidst the worst drought in three generations,” the two senators said in a joint statement.  “In Somalia alone, approximately 3.2 million people are in need of immediate life-saving assistance, half a million children are acutely malnourished, and more than 29,000 children under the age of 5 have tragically died.  The drought has blasted an already hostile landscape, but the actions of the terrorist group al-Shabaab and the shortcomings of the Somali government have turned a natural disaster into a human catastrophe.”

Hundreds of thousands of Somalis, displaced by years of civil war, already live in difficult conditions in Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda, and Eritrea, and they have been hard hit by the famine and drought.  For Somalis still living in areas controlled by al-Shabaab, limited access by international aid organization has made it extremely difficult both to measure the famine’s effects and provide assistance.  For years the United States has maintained tight restrictions on American organizations operating in areas under al-Shabaab control, due to the groups designation as a terrorist organization.  While praising the administration’s efforts, both senators believe more can be done to ease suffering while preventing aid from ending up in the hands of the al-Shabaab. 

“We encourage the administration to consider additional ways to ease and expedite the provision of aid. Specifically, it should explore expanding the pool of those licensed to provide assistance in southern Somalia to include U.S. humanitarian groups funded by private donors or other countries. While it is absolutely imperative to restrict the flow of resources to al-Shabaab, we must draw on all available resources as we balance security concerns with pressing humanitarian needs.”

12 million at risk from drought and famine in the Horn of Africa

Senator Coons chaired a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs Wednesday with witnesses from from  the State Department, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and representatives of humanitarian organizations to examine conditions in the Horn of Africa following the worst regional drought in 60 years.  Currently, the United States is the largest donor of humanitarian assistance and emergency relief to the stricken region, which includes Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, and Djibouti. 

Click here for a map of the affected areas and the aid organizations at work in each country.  

Since receiving record low rainfalls over the past several months, which have caused drought and contributed to reduced crop yields and the lost of livestock, these countries – and Somalia in particular – are experiencing a growing humanitarian crisis that has jeopardized  the lives of millions of people.  Children are especially susceptible to the effects of hunger and malnutrition that accompany famine and drought, and UNICEF has estimated that 2.3 million children in the region are acutely malnourished and half a million are at risk of imminent death.  Last month, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (UNOCHA) declared the conditions on the Horn of Africa to be a major, large-scale emergency and the UN declared a famine in five regions of Southern Somalia.  They are expected to declare the entire Southern area of Somalia as a famine zone within the next six weeks, and famine is expected to persist across Southern Somalia until the end of the year. 

Ensuring critical aid reaches those in need has been especially difficult in Somalia, where areas in the South are controlled by al-Shabaab, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization with ties to al-Qaeda.  Al-Shabaab has obstructed access to areas of Southern Somalia, and the Obama administration recently provided legal assurances to aid groups in order to ease the flow of emergency relief.  “Just yesterday, the U.S. government announced an easing of restrictions on humanitarian organizations operating in Somalia in order to facilitate the delivery of aid”, Chris said in his opening statement.  “I look forward to hearing from today’s witnesses about this new policy, which aims to provide additional guidance and legal assurances to U.S. partner organizations operating Southern Somalia.”

Testifying on the first of two panels at today’s hearing were Ambassador Donald Yamamoto, Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator of USAID for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance; and Dr. Reuben Brigety, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration.  Testifying on the second panel were Wouter Schaap, Assistant Country Director for CARE International; Jeremy Konyndyk, Director of Policy and Advocacy for Mercy Corps; and Dr. J. Peter Pham, Director of the Ansari Africa Center at the Atlantic Council. UNICEF submitted a statement for the record. 

As drought and famine conditions have worsened, thousands of Somali refugees have fled to already overcrowded refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia each day, many in need of critical medical care and emergency food relief.  In the hearing, Senator Coons called on the United States and international community to continue to partner with regional governments to provide essential humanitarian aid.

“Americans have demonstrated great leadership helping those in need both domestically and abroad,” Chris noted, “and I am confident we will continue to partner with the international community to save lives and protect future generations in the Horn of Africa.”

After the hearing, Chris appeared on MSNBC's Mitchell Reports to discuss the situation and the findings of the hearing. You can watch that below.

Senator Coons chairs first hearing of the African Affairs Subcommittee

Senator Coons embarked on his chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on African Affairs by holding its first nominations hearing of the 112th Congress. Appearing before the Subcommittee were President Obama’s nominees to serve as our ambassadors to Kenya and Botswana. Chris is the only freshman member of the Senate to lead a subcommittee in the 112th Congress.

Chris’s opening statement focused on Africa’s importance as a place of strategic importance for our national security, of expanding markets, and of emerging democratic institutions.  He further cited the many challenges still facing the continent, in particular those of human rights abuses, obstacles to health care access, and widespread poverty. 

Drawing on his own experiences in Africa, Chris said:

Africa is a continent of tremendous strategic importance to the United States and the world, and I am extremely grateful to Senator Kerry and my colleagues on the Committee for entrusting me with the gavel. 

I look forward to working with my friend Senator Isakson to accomplish a shared vision and strategic goals, and hope to serve as a model for bipartisan cooperation on issues pertaining to Africa in the 112th Congress and beyond.

…While different countries with divergent histories, accomplishments and challenges, the issues we will discuss today in the context of Botswana and Kenya – governance, democratic institutions, health initiatives, human rights, trade, counterterrorism, U.S. interests and a broader regional strategy – will serve as focal points for the Africa Subcommittee. 

Kenya has special meaning for me, as I developed a deep interest in Africa during my junior year of college when studying at the University of Nairobi and traveling through Kenya and Tanzania to immerse myself in African culture.  After college, I wrote about anti-apartheid divestiture strategies while serving as an analyst for a research center in Washington.  I subsequently returned to Africa on behalf of the South African Council of Churches, so my ties to both Kenya and Africa are both professional and personal.

President Obama has nominated former U.S. Air Force Major General J. Scott Gration to serve as Ambassador to Kenya.  Previously, Gen. Gration was the President’s special envoy to the Sudan, where he played an important role in that country’s recent steps toward peaceful referendum on Southern Sudan’s independence.  For the top post at our mission in Botswana, the President nominated Michelle Gavin, until recently the Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council.  Both would bring considerable experience and deep knowledge of the continent to their jobs if confirmed. 

Senator Coons talks about faith and poverty

At a gathering of global aid activists, scholars, and clergy this evening, Senator Coons spoke about his travels in Africa as a youth and how the depth of poverty he witnessed on that continent affected him as a person of faith. The event was hosted by International Relief and Development and the Yale Divinity School, of which Chris is an alumnus, having earned his degree in ethics there in 1992.

Timed to coincide with the beginning of Lent, the event featured Chris discussing how faith can be a powerful catalyst for action to ease the suffering of others.  He drew on his own religious background as an ordained Presbyterian elder as well as lessons from other faith traditions, including Islam and Judaism, to explore the meaning of our connections to one another as people sharing this world.  Faith, he told those in attendance, has the power to motivate us to act – as individuals, as communities, and as a nation – to help feed the hungry, heal the sick, and shelter the homeless. 

Chris recalled some of his early experiences in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania as a student in college:

I’ll never forget walking through Nairobi’s Mathare Valley for the first time.  Its seemingly-endless slum fills the narrow space between the hills, a mess of corrugated metal, dirt roads, animals, and people.  It is difficult to imagine unless you have actually been there. 

While there is difficult poverty in every nation, including our own, the depth of poverty in the slums of the developing world is unmatched. 

Mathare today is home to nearly half a million Kenyans, and they live without running water, sewers, and access to basic health care, education, and adequate food.  Homes are constructed from garbage, and the stench of the slum is just unbearable to those who were not forced to grow up inside it.

…I saw something else in Mathare and in all the slums I visited that stood in striking contrast to their poverty.  I once attended a church service lasting over four hours, and the faith and hope and joy that overflowed from the worshippers was incredible. 

These people, so poor in wealth, were so abundant in their love for God and hope for the future.  Several of us who were there working on relief visited the home of a family who slaughtered their last goat in order to serve their guests an adequate meal.  We were as the three strangers arriving at Abraham’s tent. 

After returning to the United States, Chris worked with the South African Council of Churches against apartheid and later worked with the Coalition for the Homeless in five states. He noted how striking it was that, twenty-five years after that first experience in Nairobi, he has just recently been selected to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs. 

In his leadership of the Subcommittee, Chris looks forward to working with his colleagues, with the Administration, with our allies, and with aid groups – including faith-based organizations – to help Africans escape the painful cycles of poverty and work toward political freedom and economic developme