The European Union has urged South Sudan to strengthen community participation and governance of land and natural resources as the country seeks to improve wildlife conservation and sustainable development.
EU Ambassador Pelle Enarsson made the call at the fourth Friends of Conservation meeting held last Week in Juba. He said effective wildlife and natural-resource governance was closely linked to peace, stability and community protection.
Enarsson welcomed the Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas Act, 2026, which recognizes community-based conservancies and could give local communities a greater role in managing and benefiting from natural resources.
However, he said successful implementation would require clearer land-tenure arrangements, stronger coordination between relevant laws and greater involvement of communities, traditional authorities, Indigenous Peoples, women and young people.
The EU supports several conservation initiatives across South Sudan under its NaturAfrica program, including the Great Nile Migration Landscape, Latoto National Park, Kidepo Game Reserve and Southern National Park. Enarsson said stronger coordination between government and conservation partners would be essential to implementing the new wildlife law.