Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) has secured €5 million (approximately N$101.75 million) in funding from the European Union (EU) to support conservation and sustainable development.
The announcement was made at the recent 15th KAZA ministerial committee meeting held in Livingstone, Zambia.
Namibia’s environment, forestry and tourism minister, Indileni Daniel, led the country’s delegation.
At the meeting, ministers from the five partner states approved unqualified financial statements for the 2023 and 2024 financial years.
They also endorsed the establishment of a Finance Experts Working Group to support future planning and reaffirmed their financial contributions to the KAZA Fund.
Botswana officially recognised KAZA as an international organisation, granting it diplomatic immunities and privileges.
The meeting also marked a leadership transition, with Zimbabwe assuming the rotating chairpersonship from Zambia.
Zimbabwe’s environment, climate and wildlife minister, Evelyn Ndlovu, said regional cooperation remained essential to address shared conservation challenges.
In a joint communiqué delivered by Daniel, partner states endorsed several strategies.
These included an updated Elephant Action Plan incorporating results from the 2022 survey, a Human-Elephant Conflict Framework for Zambezi-Mosi-oa-Tunya, a Veterinary Sampling Protocol, and the creation of a Carnivore Conservation Sub-Working Group to focus on lions, leopards, and other species.
The ministers stressed the importance of partnerships. Agreements were signed with the UK High Commission to Botswana, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Wild Bird Trust. Collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is also underway.
The University of Namibia (Unam) announced the launch of a KAZA Research Programme in collaboration with regional universities to advance innovation, knowledge-sharing, and ecological stewardship.
Zimbabwe was commended for hosting the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention and the SADC TFCA Summit earlier this year. Botswana and Zimbabwe were also recognised for securing Ramsar Wetland City’s accreditation for Kasane-Kazungula, Shakawe, and Victoria Falls. Outgoing chairperson Rodney Sikumba of Zambia was praised for his leadership.
KAZA TFCA, which spans Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, remains one of the largest conservation landscapes in the world, focusing on ecological preservation, sustainable tourism, and community empowerment.
