By Mary Makhiringa in Harare, Zimbabwe
Harare, May 21, Mana: Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Elias Mpedi Magosi, has called upon all SADC Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCAs) to work towards conserving wildlife despite numerous challenges that the region is facing.
Magosi said the environment is currently facing serious change of environmental issues such as poaching, which is negatively affecting member states to embrace wildlife conservation.
He made the remarks Wednesday during the SADC TFCA Ministers of Environment, Natural Resources and Tourism in Harare, Zimbabwe where Malawi Minister of Tourism, Dr Vera Kamtukule, is in attendance.
The Ministerial meeting comes ahead of the SADC TFCAs Heads of State Summit slated for Friday, May 23.
The SADC Transfrontier Conservation Area program is driven by several key factors with member states benefits such as regional integration and cooperation, biodiversity conservation, social economic development and peace and stability among others things.
Said Magosi: “We have come a long way. Today we are saying we have been existing in this wildlife conservation business for the past 25 years.
“Let me urge you, honourable ministers, to work towards conserving the environment and wildlife rather that perusing for assertion of laws and signing of documents by our Presidents that we fail to refer to and uphold.”
Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Wildlife for Zimbabwe, Evelyn Ndlovu, said tourism is one of the promising ventures in job creation.
She said: “We need to use this platform to enhance coordination and we must move from dialogue to delivery to ensure that resolutions made here translate into tangible outcomes for our people in the ecosystems.”
Germany Ambassador to Zimbambwe, Udo Volz, pledged his government’s commitment towards SADC TFCAs.
“Powerful aspects of the TFCAs is the ability to generate sustainable development of the communities, sustainable agriculture community driven conservation projects, thereby creating more jobs which will boost the local communities.
“Because of all these, as EU, we made a conscious choice together with Germany; and since last year we allocated €33 million and US$36 million to support TFCAs and more is coming.”
The Ambassador, therefore, asked member states to deepen commitments by increasing protection of the wildlife and allocating more resources to strengthen government structures.
The Summit is being held under the theme: SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas 25 years of cooperation for regional Integration and Sustainable Development.
