Ethiopia is strengthening its wildlife conservation strategy with a new seven-year programme designed to protect biodiversity, restore degraded ecosystems and build greater resilience among communities living around important natural landscapes. The development is part of a wider effort to connect environmental conservation with sustainable development. It also comes as Ethiopia continues to promote environmental restoration through its broader national development agenda. There is, however, an important clarification around recent claims about the country’s biodiversity programme. Reports suggesting that the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority, or EWCA, identified 87 newly recognised biodiversity zones on 18 September 2026 for community ecotourism have not been confirmed by the authority’s recent announcements. EWCA’s latest confirmed major conservation announcement instead concerns a seven-year wildlife and landscape programme launched in August.
A Seven-Year Programme Has Been Officially Launched
On 26 August 2026, EWCA, the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute and the United Nations Development Programme launched the Promoting Integrated Conservation of Wildlife and Landscapes for Sustainable Development of Ethiopia project.
Known as PICWLSDE, the programme will run from 2026 to 2033 and is financed by the Global Environment Facility through UNDP.
According to EWCA, the programme is designed to strengthen wildlife conservation, restore degraded ecosystems, combat illegal wildlife trafficking and promote sustainable landscape management. It also aims to support biodiversity conservation and community resilience across Ethiopia.
Communities Are Central To The Conservation Approach
The programme places communities within the wider conservation framework rather than treating wildlife protection as an issue limited to protected areas.
This is particularly relevant in rural landscapes where people depend on land and natural resources for agriculture, livestock and other livelihoods.
Conservation measures can have a direct impact on these communities. At the same time, residents living around wildlife areas can play an important role in protecting habitats, reporting wildlife crime and supporting responsible use of natural resources.
By bringing community resilience into the programme, Ethiopia is attempting to connect conservation objectives with the realities of people living alongside wildlife.
Ecosystem Restoration Is A Major Priority
Protecting existing habitats is only one part of the programme.
EWCA has also identified restoration of degraded ecosystems as a key objective. This means the initiative is intended to address landscapes that have already experienced environmental pressure, rather than focusing only on areas that remain relatively intact.
Restoration can improve habitats for wildlife while also strengthening the ecological systems on which communities depend.
Healthy landscapes can support water resources, agriculture, forests and wildlife populations at the same time, making ecosystem recovery relevant well beyond the boundaries of national parks.
Sustainable Tourism Has A Role To Play
Tourism is not the sole purpose of the new programme, but conservation can directly support Ethiopia’s nature-based tourism sector.
The country has a diverse collection of wildlife and protected landscapes, including destinations such as Simien Mountains National Park, Bale Mountains National Park and Omo National Park. EWCA highlights wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism among its responsibilities.
Protected landscapes can support wildlife viewing, trekking, birdwatching, photography and other nature-based experiences.
For communities, tourism can also create opportunities through guiding, accommodation, transport, food services and locally produced goods. When managed responsibly, these activities can provide an economic reason to protect the natural environment.
Wildlife Trafficking Remains A Key Challenge
Another major component of the programme is the fight against illegal wildlife trafficking.
Wildlife crime can affect both individual species and the wider conservation system. Stronger enforcement, better cooperation between institutions and greater awareness among communities can help reduce the pressure on vulnerable wildlife.
EWCA’s current programme therefore combines conservation, ecosystem restoration and action against wildlife trafficking rather than treating these issues separately.
This approach also matters for tourism because wildlife populations and healthy ecosystems are among the foundations of Ethiopia’s nature-based visitor economy.
What About The Reported 87 Biodiversity Zones
The claim about 87 newly identified biodiversity zones needs to be treated separately from the confirmed programme.
EWCA’s current news listings show the 26 August launch of the GEF-8 wildlife and landscape conservation project, along with a September 3 announcement concerning wildlife judicial and prosecutorial training. The available recent EWCA announcements do not confirm the reported 18 September designation of 87 biodiversity zones for community ecotourism.
That does not mean Ethiopia is not expanding conservation activity. It means the specific 87-zone claim should not be presented as an officially confirmed development without supporting documentation from the relevant authorities.
A Wider Partnership Is Driving The Programme
The new conservation programme involves several institutions and stakeholders.
EWCA and the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute are working with UNDP, while the Global Environment Facility is providing financial support. The launch also brought together federal and regional government institutions, conservation organisations, development partners, civil society, academia, protected-area managers and project implementation teams.
That broad participation reflects the scale of Ethiopia’s conservation challenge.
Wildlife protection involves government agencies, local communities, researchers, conservation organisations and tourism stakeholders. Cooperation between these groups can influence how effectively conservation plans are implemented on the ground.
What The Programme Means For Ethiopia’s Tourism Future
For Ethiopia’s tourism sector, the significance of the programme will extend beyond wildlife protection. The country’s natural landscapes are important tourism assets, but their long-term value depends on maintaining healthy ecosystems and ensuring that communities living around them can benefit from conservation. The seven-year timeframe also provides room for Ethiopia to develop restoration projects, strengthen conservation systems and build sustainable livelihood opportunities around protected landscapes. The confirmed programme therefore points towards a broader model of conservation in Ethiopia, one that connects wildlife protection with ecosystem recovery and community resilience. While the reported 87 biodiversity zones remain unverified, the August announcement provides a clear and documented indication of where Ethiopia’s conservation strategy is heading: towards longer-term protection of wildlife and landscapes, stronger community involvement and a closer connection between conservation and sustainable development.
