Kenya is hosting more than 120 conservation partners from across the world for the BirdLife International Global Partnership Meeting and Flyways Summit 2026, with the country seeking stronger international collaboration in protecting wildlife and critical ecosystems.
The meeting in Nairobi has brought together conservationists and leaders from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific to discuss the protection of migratory birds and the habitats that support them.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the summit provides an opportunity for countries and conservation organisations to coordinate their efforts and mobilise resources towards protecting global flyways.
Miano on Wednesday welcomed Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan, the Honorary President of BirdLife International, who is attending the meeting.
“Her steadfast global patronage continues to inspire transnational environmental action,” CS Miano said.
The summit is also being attended by BirdLife International Chair Dr Mike Rands, the organisation’s chief executive Martin Harper and Nature Kenya chief executive Dr Paul Matiku.
Miano said the participation of the leaders was important in linking international conservation policy with scientific research and community-based initiatives.
“Their combined vision bridges international policy, scientific rigor, and grassroots execution,” she said.
The Cabinet Secretary said Kenya’s extensive network of protected areas places the country at the centre of efforts to conserve bird species and other wildlife.
Kenya has 23 national parks, 28 national reserves and more than 160 community conservancies, which provide important habitats for wildlife.
Miano said the country is home to more than 1,100 bird species, including resident and migratory species that rely on habitats along international flyways.
“Together, these protected havens act as vital safe harbours for more than 1,100 bird species nearly 10 per cent of the world’s total avian population offering refuge to both resident species and millions of migratory travellers along the global flyways,” she said.
The Cabinet Secretary also highlighted conservation programmes being implemented in partnership with Nature Kenya.
Among them is the restoration of 130,000 hectares in the Tana River Delta, reforestation initiatives on Mount Kenya and efforts to empower local monitors to protect vulture populations in the Maasai Mara and Amboseli ecosystems.
Miano said community involvement was critical to the long-term success of conservation programmes, particularly in areas where wildlife habitats overlap with human settlements.
She said the summit would also provide an opportunity to identify new partnerships and direct funding towards areas facing increasing environmental pressure.
“The Global Flyways Summit is our opportunity to align global plans, forge bold partnerships, and direct crucial funding to where it is needed most,” she said.
CS Miano noted that the protection of migratory routes has wider environmental and economic benefits because the same wetlands, forests and other habitats provide essential services to people.
“When we protect flyways, we safeguard the wetlands that purify our water, the forests that stabilize our climate, and the landscapes that sustain all human life,” she said.
She said Kenya’s role in hosting the international gathering reflected its longstanding commitment to conservation and its position as a key destination for wildlife tourism.
“When global conversations turn to the preservation of life in the wild, Kenya naturally takes its place at the head of the table,” Miano said.
