Uganda has officially launched the Roosevelt Rhino Campaign in the United States, positioning wildlife conservation as a bridge for strengthening relations between Uganda and the US.
The campaign was unveiled on December 18, 2025, following the US–Africa Business Connect – Roosevelt Africa Trail Summit held earlier this month at the Explorers Club in Manhattan. The hybrid launch event took place at Uganda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York and brought together representatives from government, conservation agencies, academia, cultural institutions and the private sector.
Moderated by Minister Counsellor Celia Nabeta, the event highlighted the historical and scientific links between Uganda and the United States rooted in the 1909–1910 Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition. Organisers said specimens collected from Ajai in Northern Uganda during the expedition continue to inform modern conservation science, habitat restoration and adaptive wildlife management.
A major highlight of the launch was a live video link from Uganda, during which Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Executive Director James Musinguzi joined from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to identify a three-year-old rhino cub named “Roosevelt.” The cub is expected to be officially named and christened in October 2026, a milestone in Uganda’s ongoing rhino rewilding efforts at Ajai Wildlife Reserve.
The launch attracted key partners, including representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce, AmCham Uganda, the Theodore Roosevelt Association, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Center, conservation leaders from UWA, academics from Muni University, and local government leaders from Madi Okollo District.
In a virtual address, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, reaffirmed government support for the initiative, describing it as a strategic platform for conservation diplomacy, heritage preservation and sustainable development.
Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Godfrey Kwoba emphasized the importance of coordinated, multi-stakeholder engagement, noting that Uganda remains committed to strengthening international partnerships that support wildlife conservation, cultural heritage and inclusive growth.
Musinguzi said Uganda’s progress in rhino conservation is the result of long-term investment, strong institutions and trusted partnerships, adding that initiatives such as the Roosevelt Rhino Campaign help build international understanding and support for wildlife recovery.
A core pillar of the campaign is the Roosevelt Encounters Africa children’s book series, led by A Rhino Named Roosevelt. Developed in partnership with NABU, the series uses storytelling to promote conservation education, youth engagement and heritage tourism along the historic Roosevelt Africa Trail.
Through global engagements linked to the trail, the campaign aims to mobilize USD 5 million under UWA’s Name a Rhino Initiative to support sustainable rhino rewilding, conservation diplomacy, heritage tourism and community-based socio-economic development.
