The Republic of South Sudan and African Parks on Wednesday celebrate the anniversary of their landmark 10-year agreement to manage Boma and Badingilo National Parks and the wider Great Nile Migration Landscape (GNML).
In August 2022, African Parks and the South Sudanese Government signed a 10-year, renewable agreement for the management, rehabilitation, financing, maintenance, and development of Boma and Badingilo National Parks and Jonglei Landscape (the proposed extension zones of the two national parks and wildlife corridors) for the entire Great Nile Migration Landscape.
A joint press release extended to Radio Tamazuj said that in just over two years, this partnership has delivered transformative impact across wildlife monitoring, community livelihoods, infrastructure, and governance, ensuring the world’s largest land mammal migration continues to thrive alongside local communities.
According to the statement, the partnership has seen record-breaking aerial surveys and monitoring, and improved community-led conservation among other successes.
“Building in 2023’s systematic flight over 123,000 km², the 2024–25 season integrated satellite-enabled collars on over 200 mammals and vultures, enhancing real-time tracking of migration corridors and breeding grounds,” the statement reads in part. “Nine Transhumance Engagement Officer teams mediated human-wildlife interactions for more than 75 pastoral settlements. Over 1,200 households now benefit from alternative livelihoods – beekeeping, agroforestry-reducing reliance on bushmeat and charcoal.”
In the areas of infrastructure and information technology, the partnership created four new forwarding bases and upgraded control rooms in Badingilo and Boma, enabling 24/7 response, powered by Starlink connectivity. Also, a tourism camp has been built in Maruwa and is set to open in 2026.
“In just two years, we’ve seen a paradigm shift in how the GNML is managed,” said Rizik Zakaria, Minister of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism. “From cutting-edge monitoring to community empowerment, this partnership proves that South Sudan can safeguard its greatest natural asset while uplifting the people who depend on it.”
For her part, Dorette Smit, African Parks Country Representative in South Sudan, said: “Working side-by-side with communities and government, we’ve laid the groundwork for lasting conservation, supporting communities’ alternative ways of livelihood.”
The statement said that a comparison with surveys conducted in the 1980s shows that there have been significant declines in most sedentary species that need year-round access to water. It added that in light of the climate and biodiversity crises we are navigating as a planet, a holistic management of this landscape is needed to sustain the abundance of wildlife and the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples.
Dudu Douglas-Hamilton, African Parks Regional Operations Manager for South Sudan and Ethiopia, said it is more important than ever to protect one of the largest intact savanna floodplain ecosystems on earth to ensure the lasting well-being of both this unparalleled migration and humanity.
“This endeavor is a testament to the dedication and invaluable support of our donor partners, the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism,” Douglas-Hamilton added.
According to the statement, the partnership aims to deepen their understanding of the communities to develop an understanding of how they can support conservation and support their livelihoods.
The government and African Parks also want to start looking at ways to protect critical areas in the landscape and conduct comprehensive stakeholder mapping exercises, and initiate socio-economic baseline assessments.
African Parks (AP) is a non-profit organisation that assumes the responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with African governments and local communities, and currently manages 23 parks across 13 countries covering over 20 million hectares.