Djibouti, trove of biodiversity to be protected for our future.

   
   DJIBOUTI CITY, March 10-- Tucked away in the Horn of Africa, the tiny country of Djibouti is home to moon-like and volcanic landscapes, the most saline body of water on Earth, and a pristine wildlife waiting for adventurers to explore.
   Yet the beauty is facing the threats of climate change and environmental damage brought by human activities. Education on environmental protection and the raise of awareness are urgently needed to protect this jewel of biodiversity and unlock its full potential for generations to come.
   NATURAL WONDERS
   One of the hottest and driest countries on the planet, Djibouti has a wetland ecosystem that includes two large salt lakes, Lake Assal and Lake Abbe, where stunning flora and fauna can be discovered.
   Lake Abbe, straddling the border with Ethiopia, is an enormous salt lake surrounded by 50-meter-high limestone chimneys, hot sulfur springs and active geothermal activity.
   Located 140 km southwest of the capital Djibouti City, it is often described as "a slice of the moon on the crust of earth" due to its ethereal, other-worldly and breathtaking scenery resembling the crater-marked surface of the Moon or Mars.
   "Lake Abbe is important because it's a natural heritage for Djibouti, so it matters a lot for the touristic development. It is also a natural geological laboratory, so it's important for scientific research," Ballah Mohamed Hassan, founder and president of the National Association of Tour Guides of Djibouti, told Xinhua.
   "This region is an arid climate, so in the period of drought, Lake Abbe is the only point where nomadic people can get natural source of water and food for their animals," Hassan said.
   The lake also attracts flurries of pink flamingos during the wet season, as the passage for their migrations, Hassan added.
   Lake Assal, another tourist highlight, is a dramatic crater lake in the Danakil Desert ringed by black lava and dormant volcanoes. At 155 meters below sea level, it is the lowest point in Africa and the saltiest lake outside Antarctica, saltier even than the famous Dead Sea.
   BIODIVERSITY OPPORTUNITY
   Protecting Djibouti's little water resources and wildlife is of paramount importance for its people and the next generations, Dawit Gebre-Ab MBE, managing director of Siyyan Travel & Leisure, told Xinhua.
   "The main reason why it's important is not only the protection of the environment is very important for our future generations, but also that Djibouti relies on the 'blue economy' for logistics, the ports and the tourism sector," he said, adding that sustainable tourism and ecotourism should be the way forward for Djibouti's future development.
   Tourist numbers and international passenger arrivals have dropped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is hoped that the travel sector could revive and provide fresh opportunities for Djibouti in the aftermath of the pandemic.
   Small-scale business owners like Khader Hussein, who runs a plantation in the Lake Abbe area, expressed optimism about the long-term development prospects as initiatives have been launched to help protect the country's biodiversity.
   Djibouti's economy is expected to expand by 7 percent in 2021 after a 1-percent contraction last year, the International Monetary Fund said in October 2020.
   ENVIRONMENTAL HEADWINDS
   Climate change has been impacting Djibouti badly, ranging from higher temperatures to prolonged droughts, poor agricultural production to livelihood insecurity and poverty.
   Limited arable land and potable water, as well as increasing desertification, remain significant challenges for the country.
   With a total area of 23,200 square km, Djibouti is already one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, and there is little irrigated land in the country, according to data of the United Nations.
   The country also has to tackle other threats to its ecosystem, as Jacqueline Duvoisin, a digital health expert and visitor from Switzerland, suggested threats like plastic waste and overfishing.
   "As a passionate scuba diver and frequent traveler, I am very concerned about the overfishing which leads to a loss in biodiversity as well as about the plastic pollution. Both topics are challenges not only in Djibouti but globally, and they need to be addressed now," said Duvoisin.
   Protecting the environment and biodiversity needs to start with education and a change in local people's mentality, according to Dawit Gebre-Ab MBE.
   "This wealth needs to be protected, and it starts with education and then is followed by the business opportunities," he stressed. Xinhua