Kavango-Zambezi transfrontier progress praised

BWABWATA NATIONAL PARK ELLANIE SMIT Namibia has been praised for the progress it has made through its effective and timely implementation of activities in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). The Namibian Component of the Integrated Development Plan of the KAZA TFCA was launched last week by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in the Bwabwata National Park. The KAZA TFCA is the world's largest conservation transfrontier area, spanning over five Southern Africa countries. It covers an area of close to 440 000km², with Namibia comprising 71 515km² approximately 16% of the total area. Five of Namibia's formally protected areas form part of the KAZA TFCA - the Bwabwata, Nkasa Rupara, Mangetti, Mudumu and Khaudum national parks, which are collectively referred to as the North-East Parks. Speaking at the launch of the Namibian Component Integrated Development Plan, the Executive Director of the KAZA TFCA Secretariat, Dr Victor Siamudaala, applauded Namibia for completing the document. He said the plan was critical to the regional development of the transfrontier area, particularly in terms of the transboundary movement of wildlife, as well as fishery management. “Through the progress in Namibia and the development in other KAZA partner countries we are steadily moving towards the attainment of the KAZA vision - establishing a world class conservation area and premier tourism destination by 2030,” said Siamudaala. According to him some of the KAZA activities that have been implemented in Namibia include the construction of 20 elephant protection walls around community water wells, in the area west of the Khaudum National Park. He said that Namibia has also established five chilli production plots to supply chillies for the human/wildlife conflict mitigation programme, while there has been communal support to 18 conservancies towards the implantation of the human/wildlife conflict self-insurance scheme to the cost of N$1,08 million. Furthermore five motor vehicles have been procured for protected area management and community-based natural resource management. Equipment has also been procured, including 52 bicycles, 20 camping tents and five fridges, to promote the effective management of conservancies. The main purpose of the integrated development plan is to demonstrate how government - through the Ministry of Environment and Tourism - will manage and develop the Namibian component of the KAZA TFCA, including addressing issues such as the gaps and challenges. The Namibian component of the KAZA TFCA plays a major role in the effective functioning of the ecosystems that supports the core areas of KAZA, as well as critical ecological linkages between key habitats within this broader conservation landscape. The Minster of Environment and Tourism, Uahekua Herunga, said that this plan provides the management framework and priority projects for the Namibian component of the KAZA TFCA, which is based on Vision 2030. This includes the ministry's vision for protected areas and wildlife conservation, as well as that of communities for their conservation and community forests. The Namibian component summarises the needs and expectations of Namibia's stakeholders and forms the basis of the support that government will provide through the ministry. The plan will also serve as a reference for detailed conservation planning initiatives for conservation and communal areas that provide the foundation for the Namibian component of the KAZA TFCA. Herunga said that partner countries are developing a sustainable conservation and tourism development programme. This completed plan will enable partners to derive equitable social and economic benefits, while observing the principle of accountability, equitability, transparency and mutual respect.