By Dickson Bandera
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe — The French Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Paul Bertrand Barets, recently joined a high-level delegation to Zambezi National Park, demonstrating France’s firm commitment to Zimbabwe’s conservation and biodiversity goals.
The visit, held at the invitation of the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Honourable Evelyn Ndlovu, highlighted Zimbabwe’s ongoing efforts to safeguard its rich natural heritage while tackling the persistent challenge of human–wildlife conflict in communities adjacent to protected areas.
France, a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity and an active participant at the Ramsar Convention’s 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) underway in Victoria Falls, has reinforced its environmental partnership with Zimbabwe through targeted support and development cooperation.
Since 2016, the French Development Agency (AFD) and other French instruments have channelled more than US$20 million into projects spanning wildlife conservation, renewable energy, sustainable forestry, and climate-smart agriculture across the country.
One of the flagship initiatives is the Kariba REDD+ Project, co-financed with European partners, which seeks to curb deforestation and protect over 750,000 hectares of forest along the Zambezi Valley—preserving vital wildlife corridors and supporting local communities.
In addition, AFD has provided the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) with technical assistance, anti-poaching support, and ranger training under transboundary frameworks such as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA)—Africa’s largest conservation landscape.
The visit comes as Zimbabwe aligns its national targets with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15 in 2022.
Spanning more than 56,000 hectares along the Zambezi River and home to elephants, lions, buffalo, and rare bird species, Zambezi National Park is a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s biodiversity and tourism economy. However, human encroachment and conflicts between wildlife and neighbouring communities remain pressing concerns.
Through its partnerships with France and other international allies, Zimbabwe is working to expand community-based conservation models, bolster park protection, and secure sustainable livelihoods for rural communities living near wildlife habitats.
The Ambassador’s visit reaffirms the growing diplomatic and development ties between France and Zimbabwe—and their shared commitment to biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
