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Kenya Signs Agreement with Ireland for Student Education and Research

Kenya and Ireland sign education and research agreement following negotiation and consultation between University College Dublin and Pwani University in Kenya.

Following negotiation with Friends From Ireland -Galana Wildlife Conservancy- University College Dublin - Pwani University - Watamu Marine Association -

Official Final Draft Press Release
December 10th 2015 Venue: Kenyan Embassy Dublin.

It is with great pleasure that we would like to announce that University College Dublin and Pwani University, Kenya have agreed upon Memorandums of Understanding to facilitate academic and student exchanges between our two countries.

The agreements follow an intense period of negotiation and consultation between University College Dublin and Pwani University in Kenya and were facilitated throughout by the NGOs Friends From Ireland, The Galana Wildlife Conservancy Kenya, the Watamu Marine Association Kenya and the Agricultural Development Corporation of Kenya.

This initiative has the support of the Irish Ambassador to Kenya Dr. Vincent O Neill, the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment in Kenya, Professor Judi Wakhungu, and the M.D. of the Agricultural Development Corporation Kenya, Dr. Andrew Tuimur and has been kindly facilitated over recent months by the Kenyan Ambassador to Ireland Mr. Richard Opembe.

In addition to the announcement of the MOUs we are also announcing the following:

1. The creation of a Scientific Field Research Station at the Galana Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, designed to promote knowledge and open up this critically endangered environment and its endangered wildlife to Kenyan and International students of the Sciences.
2. The commencement, by Friends From Ireland of the Galana Secondary School building project complex adjacent to the Primary and Infant School complexes constructed by FFI over the last three years.
3. The intention to support an application to have the Galana Wildlife Conservancy considered for inclusion as a World Heritage Site. This is a new approach to community-conservation-education challenges in developing countries and has brought together voluntary National and International community and conservation groups, business groups, state agencies and those in relevant political offices, to ensure that promises are kept and goals are achieved.

This new model of multi-agency partnership, bringing volunteering and education together to tackle community and conservation challenges in Kenya will herald the beginning of a significant scientific study of this crucial eco-system and its endangered species, the development of the community which shares that environment and the development of educational facilities from infancy to third level education. It is a model that works through inclusion, the realistic consideration of community, cultural and conservation concerns, the management of realistic goals based on what can be achieved by listening to the issues on the ground and planning processes that start with real dialogue.

We would like to thank The Kenyan Ambassador H.E. Mr. Richard Opembe for inviting us to make the announcement from the Embassy. I would also like to thank the representatives of University College Dublin, Friends From Ireland and the Minister, Mr. Damien English for supporting our endeavours. Indeed we wish him well on his visit to Kenya. For more information following this release please contact me at johnab@eircom.net or through the following websites

Information on upcoming community and conservation projects for 2016 will follow through these websites and related Facebook Pages Friends From Ireland
The Galana Conservancy

Attending 1. Cosmas Kimutai First Secretary, Kenyan Embassy.
2. Ann Marie Spillane Board of Friends From Ireland
3. Dr. Jens Carlsson School of Biology and Environmental Science/Earth Institute UCD
4. John Byrne Chairman Friends From Ireland/Director of Research and Development Galana Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya.
5. Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Mr. Damien English T.D.
6. H.E. Mr. Richard Opembe, Kenyan Ambassador to Ireland.
7. Dr John Finerelli School of Biology and Environmental Science/Earth Institute UCD
8. Dr Claire Cave, School of Archaeology, UCD
9. Niamh Byrne Board of Friends From Ireland.
10 Nettan Carlsson, Laboratory Manager Area 52, School of Biology and Environmental Science/Earth Institute UCD

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