By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Tanzania, 16 June 2026 - Kenya’s Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) have signed a five-year Framework of Collaboration (FOC) aimed at enhancing joint wildlife research, ecosystem management and conservation efforts across shared ecosystems in East Africa.
The agreement, signed in Arusha, establishes a formal platform for cooperation between the two institutions as they seek to address growing conservation challenges that transcend national borders, including wildlife migration, habitat fragmentation, climate change impacts and emerging wildlife diseases.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, WRTI Director Dr. Patrick Omondi said the partnership reflects the need for regional cooperation in tackling increasingly complex environmental challenges affecting shared ecosystems.
“Our shared ecosystems are facing increasing pressures from climate change, habitat degradation and growing human-wildlife interactions. These challenges cannot be addressed in isolation,” said Dr. Omondi.
“This partnership provides us with a platform to strengthen collaboration in research, data sharing and evidence-based decision-making across our countries, ultimately delivering meaningful conservation impact for both nations and the region.”
Under the agreement, the two institutions will undertake joint research programmes, facilitate knowledge exchange, support policy development, integrate conservation technologies and coordinate interventions in key transboundary ecosystems.
The collaboration is expected to strengthen biodiversity conservation efforts while supporting sustainable development and enhancing ecosystem resilience across the region.
Among the anticipated outcomes of the partnership are enhanced joint research initiatives to address shared ecological challenges, improved capacity building and professional exchanges among scientists and technical experts, and harmonized wildlife monitoring systems to support evidence-based conservation planning.
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The agreement also seeks to promote coordinated management of wildlife migration corridors, address habitat fragmentation, mitigate climate change impacts and reduce human-wildlife conflict in border ecosystems.
Additionally, the partnership is expected to expand access to international funding opportunities, global conservation networks and collaborative research investments.
The framework aligns with broader regional and international conservation goals by fostering stronger cooperation between Kenya and Tanzania, which share several critical wildlife landscapes, including the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem, one of Africa’s most important biodiversity hotspots.
Implementation of the agreement will be overseen by a Joint Implementation Committee and specialized technical working groups tasked with coordinating priority activities and monitoring progress over the next five years.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from Tanzania’s wildlife ministry, conservation organizations including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), TAWIRI Director General, WRTI Deputy Director for Research Dr. David Ndeereh, principal research scientists from both institutions and legal representatives.
The partnership marks a significant step toward strengthening science-based conservation and regional collaboration in safeguarding East Africa’s rich wildlife heritage and shared ecosystems.