By Dickson Bandera
Zimbabwe has urged Southern African nations to adopt a more inclusive and well-funded approach to managing shared conservation areas, warning that without meaningful community involvement and sustainable financing, the region’s environmental gains risk stalling.
In his opening remarks at the SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) conference in Harare this Monday, Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary for Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Ambassador Tadeous Tafirenyika Chifamba, emphasized the need for inclusive development, long-term financing, and stronger community engagement in conservation.
The conference, running under the theme “SADC Transfrontier Conservation Area: 25 Years of Cooperation for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development”, aims to reflect on two and a half decades of collaborative efforts and chart the way forward. It is premised on five key goals expected to guide future action.
The gathering takes place against the backdrop of a shared regional vision to foster integrated and effective management of transboundary landscapes and seascapes—ensuring their sustainability for generations to come.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this conference presents an opportunity to discuss critical issues that are essential to the success of TFCAs,” said Ambassador Chifamba.
He stressed that the success of TFCAs cannot be measured without meaningful and tangible benefits for local communities who inhabit and steward these vital ecosystems.
“Therefore, I call upon the SADC member states to create a robust framework that supports both ecological and human prosperity. This can be achieved by strengthening governance, fostering multi-sector partnerships, and advancing regional integration,” he noted.
Ambassador Chifamba underscored the centrality of sustainable financing to conservation efforts.
“A key priority for us is securing long-term sustainable finance for TFCAs. Without adequate resources, our efforts to conserve and manage this vital ecosystem will fall short. In this regard, I urge all of you to put your best foot forward and come up with sustainable financial frameworks to ensure the well-being and the well-being of local communities,” he asserted.
Looking to the future, he urged stakeholders to deepen private sector collaboration while continuing to seek grants and public funding.
“For the future, the TFCA program is sustainable now and into the future. We need to consider how we can work in the private sector and ensure TFCAs attract not only the grants but also private capital. As we celebrate 25 years of the SADC TFCA program, we must also focus on enhancing local community engagement as well as ensuring that they benefit from the TFCA program,” he said.
He reiterated the essential role that local communities play in conservation and called for innovation in how they are empowered.
“From the TFCA there can be no conservation without local communities who since time immemorial have lived and carefully consume the natural resources that we so dearly enjoy today. We therefore need this conference to consider innovative ways of ensuring communities are well-capacitated, supported, as well as that they directly benefit from the TFCA program,” he further noted.
Ambassador Chifamba also called attention to the growing threat of human-wildlife conflict and the increasing frequency of bushfires. He stressed the need for comprehensive response mechanisms.
“This conference should ensure that all the available mitigation and response measures to address human wildlife conflicts are explored and evaluated. I may also add the need to address bushfires, you know, which are literally consuming a lot of the habitats for our wildlife.”
He emphasized capacity-building and knowledge management as cornerstones for effective cross-border conservation.
“We need to ensure that our institutions and communities are equipped with the knowledge and tools that we have. This is necessary to manage shared resources effectively. Improved knowledge management will further enable us to make informed decisions and share best practices across borders,” he said.
The Zimbabwe diplomat Chifamba also took the opportunity to recognize the contributions of development partners.
“In this regard, allow me to applaud our international cooperation partners for their unwavering support of the TFCA over the past 25 years. Your contributions, dear partners, have been invaluable,” he said.
To strengthen transboundary collaboration, Ambassador Chifamba further called for harmonization of conservation frameworks across the region.
“On the need to harmonize our various frameworks as part of transboundary collaboration. SADC should speak with one voice on all matters relating to conservation, considering that most of our natural resources are transboundary in nature.”
“This meeting, therefore, serves as a testament to our collective commitment to the conservation of natural resources. By working together, we can address the complex challenges facing our landscapes and seascapes, while unlocking opportunities for sustainable development and regional growth.”
Ambassador Chifamba closed his remarks by urging participants to approach the summit with optimism and ambition.
“We are at a pivotal moment where our collective actions can lead to transformative changes, benefiting not only our ecosystems, but also the communities that depend on them.”
“I urge all of us to engage in open, constructive, and forward-looking discussions. Let us seize this opportunity to strengthen our partnerships, align our priorities, and chart a course towards a more sustainable and precious future for our people and our planet. Together, we can create a legacy of cooperation that will endure for decades to come.”
