President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa today presided over the official opening of the SADC Transfrontier Conservation Area Summit in Harare.
The program, which celebrates 25 years of regional cooperation in biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and ecotourism, has been running since Monday with high-level official meetings.
Some delegates, including Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera have arrived for the Summit.
In his speech, President Mnangagwa called for all stakeholders engagement approach in dealing with conservation issues.
“Key in this respect is that conservation must be inclusive, engaging governments, local communities, researchers and the private sector.
“Undoubtedly, the Transfrontier
Conservation Areas Model has proven that environmental protection and socio-economic development are mutually reinforcing and complementary,” he said.
The summit is running under the theme: “Transfrontier Conservation Areas-25 years of cooperation for regional integration and sustainable development.”
TFCAs are collaborative conservation efforts that span across national borders, designed to promote biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of resources, and eco-tourism.
These initiatives hold significant importance for Zimbabwe and other SADC Member States covered by TFCAs, as they not only safeguard vital ecosystems and wildlife but also contribute to economic growth, enhance regional cooperation, and empower local communities.
This pivotal summit will bring together delegates from across the region, including current and former Heads of State and Government from SADC Member States, traditional leaders, conservation partners, international organisations representatives, and experts from relevant sectors.
The primary objectives of the conference and summit are to strengthen political commitment to the TFCA Programme, promote investments in TFCAs, and enhance cross-sectoral integration for sustainable development.
The SADC TFCA International Conference and Summit is supported by the European Union and Germany as its key institutional partners. For Germany, the development of TFCAs has been a major focus area of its cooperation with SADC and its Member States, during the past 25 years, with an overall investment of more than 270 million Euros, via instruments such as the SADC TFCA Financing Facility and the Legacy Landscape Fund.
The EU has just kickstarted it’s NaturAfrica Global Gateway flagship initiative accelerating the support to SADC TFCAs with 33 million Euros for the SADC region.
This programme focuses on conservation of natural resources, improvement of livelihoods and governance in TFCAs
Expected outcomes from the summit include the development of an action plan to support the SADC TFCA Programme (2023 – 2033), new binding agreements for establishing additional TFCAs, the signing of Joint Management Frameworks, and sustainable financing agreements between SADC Heads of State and Government and International Cooperating Partners.
Additionally, there will be a review of ongoing efforts to implement the SADC TFCA model of cooperation, reinforcing partnerships among SADC Member States.
Through this summit, SADC and TFCA partners aim to strengthen their collective commitment to preserving Southern Africa’s rich biodiversity and to creating a sustainable future for generations to come, especially for the SADC citizens, who are essential to the success of these conservation efforts and their beneficiary.
Zwnews
