Region to Stamp Conservation Efforts - by Wezi Tjaronda


From The New Era
July 20, 2009



NGOMA – The five participating countries in the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) are expected to sign the multilateral treaty that will formally establish the KAZA TFCA in April next year, which is set as the deadline when the KAZA project should be in place.

A memorandum of understanding to pave the way for the treaty was already signed by the five countries, namely Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Angola in December 2006.

The treaty will also see the establishment of a framework for harmonisation of policies to allow for the joint management of natural resources and also the development of the five-star hotel, which will have the wings in the four countries sharing borders at Impalila Island in the Caprivi Region.

Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, said on Friday the current infrastructure comprising hotels, border posts, airports, airstrips, lodges, safari camps and the untapped potential to develop more tourism facilities, offer an opportunity to transform KAZA TFCA into a world-class and premier tourist destination in Africa.

According to a feasibility study, the proposed KAZA TFCA could not only attract as many as eight million tourists to the region annually, but also create employment for thousands of people and stimulate socio-economic development.

The proposed KAZA TFCA, the largest conservation area in the world, aims to join the fragmented wildlife habitats into an interconnected assortment of protected areas and transboundary wildlife corridors which will facilitate and enhance the free movement of animals across international boundaries.

The conservation area links a vast network of national parks, game management areas and conservancies covering some more than 278 000 square kilometres.

The area incorporates the Okavango, Zambezi and the Kwando/Linyanti/Chobe river systems and focuses on the region where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet around Impalila Island. It includes Angola because of its importance as the source of most of the region’s rivers.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia, as the coordinator of KAZA, will make efforts for KAZA programmes to work and urged the secretariat to work tirelessly for the initiative to come to fruition.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking at the Boundless Southern Africa media day close to Ngoma Border Post in the Caprivi Region.

The KAZA TFCA includes 36 formally proclaimed protected areas of different categories as well as intervening conservation tourism concessions set aside for consumptive and non-consumptive use of natural resources.

Of Namibia’s 55 gazetted conservancies, 12 form part of the conservation area and nine are found in the Caprivi Region.

“It is on the basis of the potential presented by the vast wildlife, tourism cultural resources in the region that partner countries believe they can derive equitable returns and significant social economic benefits provided they harmonise their conservation policies and practices and use their shared natural resources prudently,” said the minister.

The KAZA has immense biodiversity including Savannah, miombo and mopane woodlands, wetlands, approximately 3 000 species of plant life (of which some 100 are endemic) and more than 500 species of birds. Its resident wildlife includes elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus, lion, lechwe, roan, sable, eland, zebra, wildebeest, waterbuck, puku, bushbuck, sitatunga, wild dogs and spotted hyena.

Angola: Okavango-Zambezi Member Tourism Ministers Meet in Country
20 July 2009


Luanda — Tourism ministers of the member countries of Okavango-Zambezi project, one of the biggest cross-border tourism initiatives which aim to connect five of the 14 countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are due to meet on Monday in Angola, to analyse the development plan.

According to the Angolan Hotel and Tourism Ministry's spokesman, Rosa Cruz, technical conditions are made for the starting of the event from 20 to 24 July in Cabinda province.

The Okavango-Zambezi project aims to link Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe to develop tourism activities in the area.

In Angola the projects involve the province of Kuando Kubango a rich region on natural resources favourable for tourism activities such as safaris, hunt, and opening of restaurants and resorts.

Municipalities of Rivungo, Mavinga, Dirico and Cuangar in southern Angola can be the regions of national territory to benefit from the project.

Like many war-ravaged countries, Angola has a long way to go. However, it also has a lot of potential. The elephant in the lobby of the Smithosonian Museum of Natural History was taken in southern Angola in the 1950's and is one of the largest of the species on record. Also, the giant sable, while currently very scarce, has potential to reach huntable numbers in southern Angola under the proper management.

It looks like hunts will be conducted this fall in Angola. For more information contact Bob Kern,at The Hunting Consortium, 540-955-0090.

I spent nine days in Angola in March ... (was fishing on the coast) ... saw a pair of dik diks in all that driving ... big country, though.

I wonder what species they will be hunting in Angola, once it opens up.
What populations are large enough and which have good genetics?

Maybe hunting and conservation will save those last few giant sable in Angola. I cringe when I think of them being hunted and killed for bush meat. Maybe my final trip to Africa (approx 2030 I hope) will feature a giant sable hunt.

Stay tuned.

I'm sure the new SCI record landmine is waiting to be found there.