Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Chairperson, Emmerson Mnangagwa who is President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, has urged SADC Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) member states to apply science-based approach towards environmental conservation.
Mnangagwa said the region must also consider taking aboard the youth and women in this cause.
He said this Friday, when he opened the 2025 SADC TFCA at Rainbow Tower in Harare where Heads to State have convened marking 25 years of TFCA in the region.
“I urge all of us to embrace science-based solutions and community driven approaches to conservation. The youth and women of our countries must play an important role in wildlife conservation, riding on the hard work ethic of this demographic.
“We also need to empower the rural community, because by empowering them and enhancing tourism and promoting cross boarder wall enforcement we have laid a strong foundation for lasting impacts,” he said.
He added that the region is currently boosting of 13 TFCAs with five others on the way, as the region looks towards the next 25 years of doubling its dedication to fostering social ecological and economic connectivity.
“At the centre of these efforts, we need to enhance livelihood of our communities. Today, the TFCAs are safe habitats for wildlife to move away from human settlements, which has helped to reduce human-wildlife conflicts,” he said.
SADC Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, said SADC TFCA has formed one of the largest conservation areas on the African continent of which the Kavango Zambia (KAZA) Transfrontier arrangement accounts for 520,000 square kilometres.
“Today we can look back with pride and celebrate the value of effective corroboration of member states who have demonstrated, over time, strong political will and invested in financial and human resources and fostered partnerships to realise this great vision that we are celebrating today.
“The commemoration presents a moment of pride and opportunity for reflection on the successes and challenges in trans-boundary natural resources across our region,” he said.
He emphasised that TFCAs is not only about conservation but also co-existence, development and resilient and regional identity.
Magosi highlighted that SADC TFCA is currently facing deforestation challenges which is necessitating loss of about 0.6 percent cover every year, which is roughly 31 percent of Africa’s deforestation area annually, whose primary driver is poverty and population growth.
President Dr Lazarus Chakwera is among the Heads of State attending the summit under the theme: The SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas 25 years of cooperation for regional Integration and Sustainable Development.
