KAZA TCFA renews integrated support for recovery of tourism sector in the region
MULILO, Namibia – Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) member states on Thursday renewed their commitment to implementing regionally-integrated approaches in supporting recovery of the tourism sector in the region.
To this end the member states are advancing works on tourism branding and corporate identity, destination marketing activities, and establishment of the Great KAZA Birding Route, which among other initiatives will help to better undertake the joint marketing of KAZA TFCA.
The meeting was also attended by Namibian Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta, Zambian Minister of Tourism Rhodney Sikumba, Botswana Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Philda Nani Kereng and other officials from the member states.
Zimbabwe’s Minister Environment minister Ngobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu was represented by his Deputy Minister Barbara Rwodzi.
The Permanent Secretary for Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Zimbabwe Amb. R.T. Faranisi is being represented by the National Coordinator and Chief Director for Environment, Climate and Met Services Prof P. Matondi.
“They met to reflect on how the joint efforts in the development and management of KAZA TFCA are progressing. They noted significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry as the private sector, local communities and all sectors of the Nation were negatively impacted. Through KAZA, funding has been mobilised to support mitigation of the COVID-19 impacts,” said an official who attended the meeting but declined to be named as they had no authority to speak to the media.
The KAZA TFCA was established in 2011 by its member states Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
This conservation area is considered to be an important means to create economic development and conserve the unique biodiversity within the region with particular focus on large-scale migrations of megafauna.
KAZA brought each nation’s government together to work in tandem with various environmental groups to create what remains the world’s largest transboundary conversation landscape.
Their shared ambitions is to protect the region’s wildlife, strengthen local communities and ensure they benefit from wildlife on their land, and promote a premier sustainable tourism experience to help underpin these efforts and also reveal how interconnected each goal is to ensuring KAZA’s success.
One of the main challenges the KAZA TFCA is facing is how to control human wildlife conflict and accommodate growing human populations, increasing wildlife populations and linking protected areas.
Also in attendance was Director General for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority Fulton Mangwanya, Director General for Forestry Commission Mr A. Marufu, Director Investments for Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Mr R. Machigere, Regional Manager for EMA Matebeleland North Province Mrs C. Zuze and other officials from member states.
