ARUSHA - A local company and indigenous community have helped to make the Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair 2013 the first travel industry fair in Africa to offset its unavoidable carbon emissions.

Partnering with Carbon Tanzania, Tanzania's first and only company dedicated to sourcing and developing community-based carbon forestry projects, the Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair is not only demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability, but also to social and community development. Karibu Fair is the leading travel trade event in East Africa.

On 28th May, 2013 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) convened at the parliament grounds in Dodoma for a three day exhibition supported by The Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) and organized jointly by 7 CSOs. The aim of this event is to build the relationship/collaboration between MPs and CSOs. The CSOs will also get an opportunity to present their views and opinions on the Gas Policy and also provide recommendations on how to increase government revenue.

The Speaker of the United Republic of Tanzania, Ms Anne Makinda officially opened the Exhibition attended by 70 CSOs invited from all over Tanzania. In her official speech she thanked FCS for giving her the opportunity to open this CSO exhibition. She went on and assured the participants that;

1. The government and MPs recognize the role of CSOs in supporting development initiatives in the country
2. Collaboration between CSOs and MPs is of critical importance in our country which cannot be underestimated and is important to all stakeholders
3. There is a lot of developments going on in parliament and it's important for CSOs to be updated on these developments because these influence government policies and programmes.

May 22, 2013

An international consortium of local communities, indigenous peoples and NGOs express concern to the Tanzanian Government that the proposed Loliondo GameControlled Area (GCA) will threaten both conservation and local livelihood interests.

In a letter addressed to President Kikwete, the Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT), and others, the consortium says they are deeply concerned that excising 1,500 km² of disputed land from community access "could only have a major negative effect on local livelihoods and social wellbeing."  Furthermore, the letter states, "it could create a serious and lasting impediment to sustainable conservation practices in the broader Serengeti region."