{"id":2000124748,"date":"2026-09-04T15:31:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T13:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/?p=2000124748"},"modified":"2026-09-04T15:52:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T13:52:29","slug":"conservation-must-advance-with-human-development-premier-nsengiyumva-at-21st-baby-gorilla-naming-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/conservation-must-advance-with-human-development-premier-nsengiyumva-at-21st-baby-gorilla-naming-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Conservation must advance with human development\u2019 – Premier Nsengiyumva at 21st baby gorilla naming ceremony\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Prime Minister was speaking on Friday, September 4, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District, where 22 baby mountain gorillas were named, bringing the cumulative number of gorillas named through Kwita Izina since its inception in 2005 to 460.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said Rwanda\u2019s experience in protecting mountain gorillas demonstrates that conservation cannot be treated separately from human development, as the country seeks to sustain the recovery of a species once pushed close to extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProtecting nature cannot be separated from improving people\u2019s lives, just as national conservation efforts cannot be separated from international cooperation. Rwanda\u2019s experience here in the Virunga Mountains is tangible proof of this concept,\u201d Dr. Nsengiyumva said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kwita Izina is rooted in a Rwandan tradition in which newborn children are named in the presence of family, friends and neighbours as a public welcome and a commitment to their protection and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Nsengiyumva said the same principle applies to the gorillas, making each name a commitment to safeguard their future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe extend that same spirit to the gorillas we have named today, because a name for us is more than a celebration: it is a promise. And the promise we make to these gorillas is that they will have the protection, the habitat and the conditions they need to grow, to thrive and to reproduce,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Prime Minister recalled that in the early 1980s, only about 250 mountain gorillas remained in the Virunga Massif, with poaching, habitat loss and social conflicts threatening the species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, more than 1,060 mountain gorillas live in the wild, including more than 600 in the Virunga Massif.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Nsengiyumva attributed the recovery to decades of conservation work involving rangers, veterinarians, researchers, governments, communities, the private sector and international partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis remarkable recovery did not happen by chance. It was built through the dedication of rangers who walk these mountains daily, the expertise of veterinarians and researchers, strong conservation policy, responsible tourism, and above all, the recognition that no single actor could do this job alone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The economic impact of conservation has also extended beyond wildlife protection, with gorilla tourism contributing to jobs, local businesses, investment and livelihood opportunities for communities around the park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That approach is also reflected in the ongoing expansion of Volcanoes National Park<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Nsengiyumva noted that construction of a smart green village was launched the previous week through an investment of more than $49 million to provide 547 households affected by the park\u2019s expansion with modern housing, essential services and sustainable livelihood opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis reflects our belief that conservation must advance with human development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rwanda Development Board (RDB) CEO Jean-Guy Afrika echoed the message, describing the growth of the mountain gorilla population as an \u201cextraordinary conservation achievement\u201d while warning that the progress requires sustained investment and cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe progress we celebrate today took many years to build. Sustaining it will require continued vigilance, long-term investments and strong partnerships across generations,\u201d Afrika said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afrika also linked the Volcanoes National Park expansion to both conservation and community development, saying it would create additional habitat for growing gorilla families while providing neighbouring communities with better housing, infrastructure, services and economic opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RDB chief also called on the 22 distinguished namers to use their influence to keep conservation efforts in the global spotlight, saying their role extends beyond the ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday, you have done much more than announce 22 names. Each name gives identity to a gorilla and meaning to its story. Each name reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure that these gorillas remain safe and that their habitat remains protected,\u201d Afrika said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The namers included Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, as well as football legends Mamadou Sakho and Patrice Evra. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The business community was represented by Dominic Barton, Chairman of Rio Tinto and LeapFrog Investments, and Miguel \u00c1ngel Gil Mar\u00edn, CEO and majority shareholder of Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), also took part, alongside Qatar\u2019s Olympic high-jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ceremony also brought together figures from the creative and conservation sectors, including award-winning filmmaker Alastair Fothergill, known for productions such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet, and Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They joined other personalities from conservation, business, entertainment and philanthropy who took part in this year\u2019s ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
The ceremony welcomed a distinguished group of international personalities from sports, business, conservation, entertainment and philanthropy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Speaking at the 21st Kwita Izina ceremony, Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva linked Rwanda\u2019s conservation progress to human development and community wellbeing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Rwanda Development Board CEO Jean-Guy Afrika called for continued vigilance, long-term investment and strong partnerships to sustain the gains made in mountain gorilla conservation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The 21st Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony took place at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District on September 4, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rwanda\u2019s conservation gains must go hand in hand with improving the lives of communities living alongside protected areas, Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2000124837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[151,69],"byline":[160],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000124748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-40","tag-editors-choice","tag-homehighlights","byline-theophile-niyitegeka"],"bylines":[{"id":160,"name":"Th\u00e9ophile Niyitegeka","slug":"theophile-niyitegeka","description":"","image":{"id":2000122455,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-14-at-11.50.01-AM.jpeg","title":"WhatsApp Image 2026-08-14 at 11.50.01 AM","mime_type":"image\/jpeg"},"user_id":3}],"contributors":[{"id":160,"name":"Th\u00e9ophile Niyitegeka","slug":"theophile-niyitegeka","description":"","image":{"id":2000122455,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/08\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-14-at-11.50.01-AM.jpeg","title":"WhatsApp Image 2026-08-14 at 11.50.01 AM","mime_type":"image\/jpeg"},"user_id":3}],"featured_image":{"id":2000124837,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/09\/KEVI9389ffffffffff.jpg","alt":"","caption":"Speaking at the 21st Kwita Izina ceremony, Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva linked Rwanda\u2019s conservation progress to human development and community wellbeing. ","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/09\/KEVI9389ffffffffff.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/09\/KEVI9389ffffffffff.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/09\/KEVI9389ffffffffff.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/09\/KEVI9389ffffffffff.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/09\/KEVI9389ffffffffff.jpg","width":1000,"height":667}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000124748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000124748"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000124748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000124841,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000124748\/revisions\/2000124841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000124837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000124748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000124748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000124748"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000124748"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000124748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}