Livingstone, Zambia – History was made today in Livingstone, Zambia, as leaders from five southern African nations convened for the inaugural Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) Heads of State Summit.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema hosted his counterparts, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, Namibia’s President Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, Botswana’s Vice President Slumber Tsogwane, and Angola’s Minister responsible for Tourism, for a landmark summit focused on strengthening conservation efforts and boosting tourism across the KAZA region.
The summit marks a turning point in collaborative efforts to develop the KAZA TFCA, a massive conservation area spanning five countries – Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This unified approach aims to transform the Okavango and Zambezi regions into a premier wildlife destination while prioritizing sustainability.
“Our cultural values, fostered by our traditional leaders, have ensured the sustainable management of KAZA’s resources for centuries,” President Hichilema remarked. “We have a duty to future generations to continue this responsibility and preserve these natural wonders.”
The summit acknowledged the region’s abundant wildlife, recognizing the occasional need for culling to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Resources obtained from this process, President Hichilema emphasized, will be reinvested in conservation efforts and critical infrastructure development for local communities.
