FAQ
- Origins?
- Implementation?
- Dr Anton Rupert's idea
- Dr Mandela's involvement?
- Partnerships
- What are peace parks / TFCAs?
- Why is idea great?
- Why 'peace parks'?
- Primary steps
- Any additional value?
- Present development
- Work needed on facilities
- Status regarding names
- GLTP involvement
- Communities
- People in peace parks
- Plans to expand
- International status
- N/S Korea as an option?
- How can I help?
PROGRESS MADE?
By supporting sustainable economic development, TFCAs will play a key role in Africa's ecotourism development. Southern Africa's first TFCA, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, was formally opened on 12 May 2000 by the presidents of Botswana and South Africa. In the same year, the governments of Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland signed five protocols on the establishment of the Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation and Resource Area. These milestones were followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the governments of the Kingdom of Lesotho and South Africa on 11 June 2001, which paved the way for the establishment of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Area. In June 2001 the governments of Mozambique and Zimbabwe signed an agreement to establish the Chimanimani TFCA in the Chimanimani Mountains.
On 9 December 2002, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) was proclaimed with the signing of an international treaty at Xai-Xai, Mozambique by the heads of state of Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This was followed by a treaty on the establishment of the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, which was signed by the presidents of Namibia and South Africa in Windhoek on 1 August 2003. On the same day the governments of Namibia and Angola signed an agreement to establish Iona/Skeleton Coast TFCA. A little more than a year later, on 13 August 2004, the governments of Malawi and Zambia signed an agreement to develop the Malawi/Zambia TFCA.
The year 2006 was an important one for transfrontier conservation. On 22 June 2006 the governments of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe signed an agreement to establish the Limpopo/Shashe TFCA. An historic moment came on 7 December 2006 when the cornerstone for Africaís largest TFCA, the Kavango-Zambezi or KAZA was laid with the signing of an MoU by the five participating countries to jointly work towards the establishment of the TFCA.
A further four Southern African transfrontier conservation areas are in various stages of development.
All of this was made possible thanks to a tremendous amount of effort and hard work from all stakeholders, as well as the political will of the leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).