By Goth Mohamed Goth
Candlelight, in collaboration with the Somaliland Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, organized a three-day workshop on Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in Hargeisa, Somaliland.
The purpose of the workshop was to introduce stakeholders to the concept of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and their significance for biodiversity conservation, train participants in the methodologies and criteria for identifying and delineating KBAs, initiate discussions and collaboration among stakeholders for the identification of potential KBAs in Somaliland, set up a National Coordinating Committee (NCG), lay the groundwork for future KBA assessments, mapping, and conservation planning efforts.
The key participants/audiences were:
• Government of Somaliland agencies responsible for environmental management and conservation.
• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working on biodiversity conservation and natural resource management in Somaliland.
• Academic institutions and researchers involved in ecological studies and biodiversity monitoring in Somaliland.
• Community-based organizations (CBOs) representing local communities living in and around potential KBA sites.
• Private sector stakeholders with interests in sustainable development and environmental conservation.
