Malawi Government and Peace Parks Foundation have signed a ground-breaking 20-year co-management agreement to secure the long-term protection and sustainability of two vital ecological havens in Malawi: Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.
The country’s Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule and the Chief Executive Officer of Peace Parks Foundation, Mr. Werner Myburgh have signed the agreement today.
The signature took place in the presence of President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera of Malawi, and Mr. Joaquim Chissano, former president of Mozambique and Vice-Chairman of Peace Parks Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Under the co-management agreement, the Government of Malawi, through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) and Peace Parks Foundation will establish an independent Trust with an ensuing mission to balance both conservation and local development. It will do so by adopting an innovative approach to managing the two protected areas as one landscape, employing a business-like mindset and ensuring inclusivity in decision-making.
The signing ceremony held at State House in Lilongwe was attended by dignitaries from the Malawi Government and Peace Parks Foundation.
The agreement, through the establishment of the Trust, will allow for full management accountability to be delegated to the Trust and a more efficient and effective business model that will secure funding, foster business principles, enhance staff aptitude and leverage revenues from commercial activities and ecosystem services.
Mirroring a vital new approach to governance, the Trust will bring together representatives from the business sector, local authorities and the chiefdoms of the two areas, promoting local stewardship and commitment to conservation.
“The signing of this agreement today is a significant milestone in our country’s efforts to preserve and promote our natural heritage for future generations,” said President Chakwera. “The framework will allow government to retain ownership and manage the protected areas with private sector efficiency and agility but, importantly, also involve local communities on an equal footing.”
He added that the approach will ensure optimal protection of Malawi’s incredible biodiversity, whilst stimulating tourism growth and building a green economy – a key priority for his government.
“It is fully in line with the Malawi Vision 2063 we have developed, aspiring to an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation by the year 2063,” the president said.
The collaboration between the DNPW and Peace Parks promises to deliver outcomes that bolster socio-economic development in the region and establish a sustainable flow of benefits to local communities. The focus will be on integrated management, rural development, environmental education and developing business opportunities, thereby setting a gold standard for collaborative conservation.
“Peace Parks commends the visionary leadership and commitment of the Government of Malawi in safeguarding these vital biodiversity centres that also serve as a critical water catchment for Malawi and the wider SADC region,” stated Mr. Chissano.
“We are honoured to support Malawi in its efforts to promote conservation, tourism and regional peace and security. We are now looking forward to continuing to collaborate through the Trust to achieve the environmental, social, and financial sustainability of the Nyika-Vwaza landscape, and consequently of the broader Malawi-Zambia Transfrontier Conservation Area. This aligns strongly with our ambitious goal to conserve 98 million hectares of transboundary African landscapes by 2050.”
On her part, Minister of Tourism Vera Kamtukule said the co-management agreement is unique in the way that it is combining government and private sector strengths in a long-term approach, and in the way that it is combining tourism, conservation and people management at the same time.
“It provides us with a new approach to contributing to job and wealth creation, and to empowering resilient, vibrant communities, whilst preserving our natural capital,” she said
Nyika National Park is the oldest and largest National Park in Malawi. It is estimated that Nyika and Vwaza together contribute as much as 10% of the annual water catchment for Lake Malawi on which more than 10 million people are directly dependent for their livelihoods.
“To safeguard such a critically important ecosystem through this long-term co-management agreement where government, communities and the private sector join forces, paves the way for a new and inclusive governance model for conserving large landscapes in Africa,” said Peace Parks Foundation CEO Mr. Myburgh.
Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through the German Development Bank, KfW, the DNWP and Peace Parks have been working steadfastly to safeguard Nyika and Vwaza, since the signing the Malawi Zambia TFCA Treaty in 2015, ensuring local communities reap benefits from these endeavours.
Moving forward, their agenda remains focused on boosting local livelihoods and landscape preservation, initiating innovative programmes and economic activities that benefit thousands. Central to their strategy is the protection of ecosystems and the co-existence with people living within these landscapes.
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