KAZA Summit

About KAZA Summit:

• Objectives
  • To assess the progress made in establishing and developing the KAZA-TFCA since its inception.
  • To review and track the progress of the Memorandum of Understanding done in 2016 and the implementation of the KAZA Treaty done in 2011.
  • Seeks to get renewed commitment from the current leaders of the member countries.
• Theme of the summit: “Leveraging KAZA’s natural capital and cultural heritage resources as catalysts for inclusive socio-economic development of the eco-region.”

Key facts about KAZA Region

• The Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA) is a 520,000-square kilometre wildlife sanctuary straddling five southern African nations that share common borders along the Okavango and Zambezi river basins.
  • These nations — Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe— together with South Africa, are home to more than two-thirds of the African elephant population.
  • It is home to a high concentration of wildlife species, including the largest elephant population.
  • About 70 per cent of KAZA land is under conversation made up of 103 wildlife management areas and 85 forest reserves.
  • Within it are also three World Heritage sites namely the Victoria Fallson the Zambezi river which makes the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and the Okavango Delta and the Tsodilo Hills both in Botswana.
• The KAZA states signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2006 resulting in the KAZA Treaty of 2011 followed by its immediate implementation.
• The KAZA-FTCA area is a partnership centred around “a common vision to conserve biodiversity at scale through promoting integrated transboundary management and to market the landscape biodiversity using nature-based tourism as the engine for rural economic growth and development.”