From Conflict to Conservation: How tackling corruption builds a greener, more peaceful Africa
Unique species like the endangered okapi are losing their homes, and 590,000 hectares of rainforest were destroyed in 2019, much of it in conflict areas.
NAIROBI, Kenya—Across Africa, the conservation of natural resources is closely tied to the peace, prosperity, and stability of governments and communities, writes Chris Kamau.
Yet, conflict and corruption present a storm of challenges to achieving sustainable development and safeguarding biodiversity.
These intertwined issues drive poverty, limit economic opportunities, and perpetuate environmental degradation, especially in fragile landscapes.
As corruption erodes good governance and facilitates illegal activities, this has a negative effect on natural resources coming to communities and may harm vital ecosystems.
For WWF in Africa, confronting these problems is essential. In many parts of the continent, high-value resources like timber, minerals, and wildlife are exploited through unsustainable and often illegal practices.
This exploitation fuels social tensions and enriches a few at the expense of local people and ecosystems. Weak law enforcement, judicial corruption, and resource conflicts complicate conservation efforts.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) shows how conflict harms people and nature.
Armed groups in the mineral-rich East exploit resources like timber and minerals, causing deforestation and displacing communities.
Unique species like the endangered okapi are losing their homes, and 590,000 hectares of rainforest were destroyed in 2019, much of it in conflict areas.
WWF is supporting local communities through conflict-sensitive frameworks, public “Baraza” meetings, and savings groups, showing that protecting nature and building peace requires addressing conflict and improving governance.
Other examples from WWF’s work on the ground are in Uganda, Central African Republic and Mozambique, where resources are prone to exploitation in conflict zones.
In the case of Mozambique, WWF had to stop working in a protected area due to conflict and the area is now a main route for illegal wildlife trade. Madagascar offers another prime example of these challenges.
Here, land use conflicts and inequitable decision-making threaten biodiversity and livelihoods alike. Corruption surrounding high-value resources like rosewood has driven illegal logging and international trafficking.
To combat these issues, WWF Madagascar promotes a rights-based approach, working with communities to empower local decision-making and support sustainable resource management.
This long-term approach not only addresses immediate conservation needs but also builds trust and resilience within communities.
Cameroon, like other regional contexts, faces ineffective land use planning which enables deforestation and tenure insecurity for Indigenous Peoples while judicial corruption undermines efforts to effectively combat wildlife crime, which poses a serious threat to species like elephants and pangolins.
WWF collaborates with local partners to seek judicial determination of court cases and improve enforcement, recognizing that without justice, conservation efforts can only go so far.
In Tanzania and Kenya, WWF engages with both national and regional partners to address cross-border issues, such as illegal logging and poaching, which thrive in regions where laws are weakly enforced.
These complex challenges demand a comprehensive response. WWF Africa works at all levels—local, national, and regional—to create systems that prevent harm to communities and support sustainable resource management.
Through a human-rights-based approach, WWF across the landscapes where we work incorporates “Free, Prior, and Informed Consent” (FPIC), safeguards, and transparent governance in conservation projects.
In high-risk landscapes or regions, WWF uses technology to track resource use, works to strengthen local governance systems, and advocates for policy reforms to ensure natural resources benefit the public rather than private interests.
Our efforts include educating and empowering local communities to stand against corruption, strengthening alliances, and sharing knowledge and best practices to combat these issues holistically.
This commitment to inclusive conservation acknowledges that anti-corruption isn’t just a regulatory necessity; it’s a foundation for resilience and sustainable development.
By tackling the root causes of conflict and corruption, WWF in Africa seeks to empower communities and protect the continent’s invaluable natural heritage for generations to come.
And with 700 other members, we are collaborating on the Countering Environmental Corruption Practitioners Forum to innovate, collaborate, exchange knowledge and information, and scale solutions from the ground up.
*Chris Kamau is the Regional Director East and Southern Africa, and Martin Kabaluapa, Regional Director Congo Basin, WWF