AWF and Beijing Zoo Launch Sustainable Conservation Partnership

The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Beijing Zoo launched a partnership today to enhance the sustainable conservation of Africa’s wildlife and wild lands. The partnership signifies the need for genuine, concerted strategies and action in ensuring the continual conservation of Africa’s natural species and habitats in the face of ever-changing threats.

Within the framework of establishing harmonious strategies and collaborative efforts to ensure that conservation of wildlife and wild lands in Africa remains sustainable, the African Wildlife Foundation has today signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the Beijing Zoo. The event was held at the Beijing Zoo in China.

This new partnership between the two institutions marks a historic milestone in acknowledging that cooperation between China and Africa is essential for the unceasing protection of Africa’s wild animals and ecosystems and ushers in a new era of global allegiance to wildlife protection. The Beijing Zoo will collaborate with AWF to provide targeted information to enhance visitor experience while raising the Chinese public’s awareness regarding African wildlife. This effort will ultimately serve to reduce the illegal trade of African flora and fauna throughout the entire Asian continent.

In his remarks during the signing, Mr. Li Xiaoguang, Director of the Beijing Zoo said, “The zoo appreciates the role played by AWF as an important partner in undertaking long-term collaborations. We believe the partnership will provide an appropriate platform to enhance visitors’ experiences at the zoo and raise awareness of the general public in China regarding African wildlife and wild lands.”

This agreement creates an environment conducive to a sustained and balanced economic agenda that doesn’t undermine natural ecosystems.

Speaking at the signing, AWF President Mr. Kaddu Sebunya, said: “China is increasingly providing leadership on conservation through proactive policies, and Africa—and the world—is watching. This partnership gives us an opportunity to bolster our work in China, and an ability to push for greater Chinese involvement in Africa’s conservation agenda.”

AWF is the oldest and largest conservation organization that focuses solely on the African continent, and is committed to amplifying the African voice in wildlife and wild lands conservation on the global stage. AWF has the experience, knowledge, and leading expertise to promote conservation in Africa. Through work with a variety of partners, it commits to render necessary technical support, including messaging and sharing best experiences to ensure that the aspirations of this memorandum are fully realized.

About the Beijing Zoo

Beijing Zoo, owned by the People's Republic of China, is a public zoological park opened in 1906, and is also the most authoritative center of zoological research that studies and breeds rare animals from various places, including Africa. The Beijing Zoo is visited by more than eight-million people each year, occupies about 86 hectares and has over 450 species of animals. The mission statement of the Beijing Zoo is to “protect wildlife and wild lands and promote biodiversity research and education.”

For media inquiries, contact:
Jia Qiao
Advocacy Officer
African Wildlife Foundation, China
jqiao@awf.org
+86 187 5714 9102

Grace Wairima
Senior Communications and Advocacy Officer
African Wildlife Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
gwairima@awf.org
+254 722 890551