R 201018Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5209
INFO SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS GABORONE 000720 
 
 
DEPT FOR OES/PCI, OES/ETC, OES/FO, OES/ENV 
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/EPS AND EEB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV ECON EAID WA ZA BC
SUBJECT: KAZA UPDATE 
 
¶1. Summary.  The U.S. State Department and USAID provide technical 
and financial support to the development of a consultation framework 
of the 5-nation Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area 
(KAZA-TFCA) Initiative.  The conceptualization and planning for this 
began in 2006 with Botswana, which received the mandate from the 
other members to sensitize donors and community-level stakeholders 
about KAZA and potential impacts for the region.  These efforts 
culminated in a practitioner's workshop convened April 2008 in 
Botswana with the primary purpose of developing the consultation 
framework.  In addition, Zambia launched June 18 in Livingstone and 
June 20 in Sioma Ngwezi its Integrated Development Plan (IDP) as 
part of its preparation for KAZA implementation.  Attendees included 
senior national and local government officials, NGOS, and the 
private sector.  A Namibian Tourism official informed REHO that KAZA 
implementation faced delays due to the shuffling of the KAZA 
portfolio between various departments.  The KAZA Tech Committee met 
June 3-6 to map a way forward for KAZA implementation, one of its 
key responsibilities.  Although progress on KAZA has been glacial, 
some movement has occurred.  End Summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
¶2. The five Southern African countries of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, 
Zambia and Zimbabwe signed December 7, 2006 at the Victoria Falls 
Hotel in Zimbabwe the MOU that formally launched the establishment 
of the KAZA TFCA.  The proposed KAZA TFCA covers 278,000 square 
kilometers (i.e., 107,226 square miles) in a contiguous area of the 
five countries and 2.5 million inhabitants.  It encompasses fourteen 
national parks and game reserves, as well as a large number of 
conservancies, game management areas and hunting concessions, 
including the Okavango Delta, Victoria Falls, the Kafue wetlands, 
and considerable tracts of riverine habitats along the Okavango and 
Zambezi Rivers and their tributaries.  KAZA has the potential to 
become one of the greatest tourism developments in Africa.  The 
creation of a significant new trans-frontier conservation and 
tourism development zone will seek to harmonize wildlife 
conservation and management, as well as tourism development and 
marketing, with major socio-economic development benefits to the 
five countries and the people resident in the zone. 
 
Practitioner's Workshop 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. Holding a practitioner's workshop was viewed by most stakeholders 
as critical to the process of developing a consultation framework 
for KAZA implementation.  However, this could not happen before the 
KAZA Secretariat and KAZA Technical Committee became operational in 
order to obtain endorsement of the initiative by KAZA institutions. 
The practitioners advised on key elements of the initiative, drawing 
upon their collective expertise.  The primary objectives of the 
workshop were to: a) identify mechanisms and strategies for 
stakeholder consultations at a local level; and b) identify roles 
for implementation of a pilot process of conducting consultations 
with community level stakeholders.  The participants from the five 
KAZA countries included practitioners from non-government 
organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and 
government officials, who were nominated in consultation with the 
Technical Committee members on account of their understanding of the 
issues and realities on the ground. 
 
¶4. The Key Outputs of the workshop included: a)a set of principles 
that should form the foundation of any consultative process in the 
KAZA TFCA; b)a set of uniform messages regarding the KAZA TFCA to be 
shared at every site; c)an identification of stakeholders that will 
be important to consider throughout the consultation process; d) a 
set of activities that inform a consultative exercise throughout the 
KAZA TFCA; e)an action plan to be implemented at a pilot site based 
on all of the above, which can then be reviewed and improved upon 
before being rolled out to other sites within KAZA TFCA ; and f)a 
set of practical recommendations for the relevant authorities in 
taking this process forward. 
 
¶5. In order to test the outcome of the workshop, the participants 
agreed on a pilot exercise as a follow-on activity, scheduled for 
later this year.  The practitioners recommended the Mucusso Reserve 
in Angola as the pilot site due to: a) The KAZA Feasibility Study 
findings of a particular need for information in Angola; and b) The 
fact that the USAID-funded IRBM project has ongoing operations 
there.  If Angola judges that a pilot exercise in Angola is not 
appropriate at this stage, the pilot may take place in another 
country following discussions with the Technical Committee of the 
alternate country and the U.S. State Department as the donor. 
 
¶6. The workshop participants made recommendation that there be 
established community working groups under KAZA.  Potential 
appropriate members of the community working group were identified 
through the process of selecting workshop participants.  Involvement 
of some of the workshop participants in the community working group 
will allow for continuity.  A role for the community working group 
was identified in the process of developing a consultative 
framework.  This exercise can provide an opportunity for the 
community working group to focus on a task and to become actively 
involved in pertinent actions immediately. 
 
¶7.  As a way forward, the workshop agreed that, upon approval from 
the pilot country, and agreement on the roles and responsibilities 
relevant stakeholders, a six-month process will be initiated which 
would entail: a) meetings with a planning and implementation team; 
b) identification and analysis of stakeholders and institutional 
structures at the pilot site; c) development of information products 
for use in consultations; d)consultation with stakeholders); 
e)reporting on consultative products and processes; and f)review of 
the exercise and lessons learned to inform the roll-out to other 
sites. 
 
Zambia's Integrated Development Plan 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. The Zambian Minster of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources 
(MTENR) Mr. Michael Kaiunga launched June 18 at the Royal 
Livingstone Golf Club in Livingstone and June 20 in Sioma Ngwezi its 
Integrated Development Plan (IDP) as part of its preparation for 
KAZA implementation.  Among the attendees District Commissioners of 
Livingstone and Kazungula, Livingstone's Mayor, the Permanent 
Secretary for the Southern Province, the Director General of the 
Zambian Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) Dr. Saiwana, the Chairman of ZAWA 
Mr. Lisulo, Chief Sepute, Senior Chief Mukuni, the Chairman of the 
Zambian Tourist Board, the Chairman of the National Heritage 
Foundation, Chairman of the Environmental Council of Botswana, NGOS, 
including the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and the Peace Park 
Foundation (PPF), the private sector (e.g., tour operators), the 
KAZA TFCA Coordinator and REHO. 
 
Speeches 
-------- 
 
¶9. Reading the remarks of the Minister of the Province, its 
Permanent Secretary (PS) reported that ZAWA had held many meetings 
since the December 2006 KAZA MOU signing at Victoria Falls with a 
view to designing a Zambian plan for KAZA implementation.  He 
elaborated that meetings took place in the western and southern 
provinces with a wide array of stakeholders to seek their input in 
developing the plan.  The PS marveled at the continuing growth in 
the building of infrastructure in the region, especially for the 
tourist industry.  He concluded by observing the plan's launch 
represented the beginning of the Zambian component of KAZA. 
 
¶10. In his speech, ZAWA's Director General Dr. Saiwana echoed the 
PS's remarks regarding ZAWA's multiplicity of meetings, especially 
with chairpersons and heads of various organizations, including 
NGOs.  He revealed that ZAWA had worked on KAZA issues with the PPF. 
(Note: PPF not only prepared the KAZA Pre-feasibility Study for the 
KAZA members but also helped the Zambian Government develop its IDP. 
 It also funds the KAZA Coordinator position in Botswana, currently 
held by Sedia Modise, who attended the IDP launch in Sioma Ngwezi. 
End Note).  Saiwana said his organization did a lot of 
"sensitization" on the IDP in local communities because of their 
conviction that a people-centered approach to wildlife management 
and tourism is important.  Moreover, this allowed ZAWA to inform the 
government of the people's needs and concerns. 
 
¶11. Saiwana noted that in preparing the IDP, ZAWA worked with all 
levels of government to ensure compliance with Zambia's fifth 
National Development Plan.  The IDP's three main focus areas are: i) 
reducing human-animal conflict; ii) enhancing income generation 
activities (e.g., bee keeping and tourism) and conservation; and 
iii) demonstrating the value of conservation as a viable land use 
option that is equitable.  He stressed that the IDP represents the 
voice of the people reflecting on issues that matter to them. 
Saiwana then took the opportunity to reveal ZAWA's ongoing 
development plans for Sioma Ngwezi National Park, where six blocks 
will be put up for concessions.  He thanked the PPF, the WWF, the 
German government (KFW) and other donors for their support of ZAWA, 
concluding as he accepted the IDP from PPF's Professor Van Riet that 
he was convinced that resources would be unlocked within the IDP 
area.  This, he said, would mark step one in developing the region 
sustainably. 
 
¶12. Chief Mukuni lauded ZAWA's participatory approach in developing 
the IDP, which he opined is a better document because of stakeholder 
input, especially during the ZAWA-sponsored National Experts 
Workshop.  The Chief stressed that all partners, NGOS, donors, 
business, Community Trusts were responsible for the success of the 
IDP process.  In closing, he opined that if the IDP were adhered to, 
the livelihood of communities would improve. 
 
¶13. Minister Kaiunga began his remarks by revealing that the 
Ministers of Tourism for the five KAZA nations had held May 10 in 
South Africa an Indaba to promote KAZA.  He also mentioned receiving 
a letter from the Botswanan Tourism Minister three days ago 
enquiring about Zambia's progress on KAZA.  Becoming a bit somber, 
the Minister noted a rising concern about the effect the Zimbabwean 
situation could have on the progress of KAZA.  He was thus "thankful 
for the IDP launch today."  Kaiunga added that he was honored to 
have received the IDP, which reflects the voice of the people and 
provides the government a clear vision of development in line with 
Zambia's fifth National Development Plan.  The IDP would thus help 
the government achieve its socioeconomic goals.  He said the 2006 
KAZA MOU signing reflected Zambia's commitment to regional 
integration. 
 
¶14. Kaiunga also echoed Chief's Mukuni's extreme satisfaction with 
the stakeholder consultations that informed the IDP.  He noted that 
the Kafue, Sioma Ngwezi and Mosi O Tunya National Parks are all 
included in the IDP assessment.  He also commended the traditional 
leaders (i.e., chiefs) in the affected areas for their support and 
input, which are all reflected in the Plan.  Kaiunga reiterated 
Saiwana's conviction that conservation would be proved to be a 
viable land-use option.  He warned, however, that the IDP would not 
become a reality without the involvement of the private sector. 
This explains the government's policy of offering block concessions 
to develop ecotourism, which is predicated on public-private 
partnerships and a fair market value for any given endeavor. 
 
¶15. Kaiunga used the opportunity to indicate the government's 
inability to properly manage Kafue National Park, which he said 
equals the size of Switzerland.  So Zambia needs partners to 
co-manage Kafue.  He also admitted that government need forge new 
policies to make Zambia competitive, which in turn will allow for 
the increased diversification of land use in its national parks. 
The Minister also alluded to complaints of local communities about 
human-animal conflicts and requests for solutions, all of which will 
fortunately be addressed in the IDP.  He said communities will be 
taught how to live with wildlife and generate income such as bee 
keeping without destroying trees.  Kaiunga also observed that the 
IDP would especially focus on intensive agriculture that would be 
irrigated by shared water resources.  Finally, in signing and 
formally launching the IDP, the Minister thanked the donors, 
business and other stakeholders for attending this important event. 
 
 
Namibia's KAZA Preparations 
--------------------------- 
 
¶16. In a June 13 meeting in Windhoek with the Ministry of 
Environment and Tourism's (MET) Merro Thaniseb from the Directorate 
of Tourism, REHO and CONOFF learned that Namibia's KAZA preparations 
have slowed considerably.  Thaniseb explained that a key reason for 
this lay in the constant shuffling of KAZA responsibility from one 
department to the next.  With distressing candor, Thaniseb admitted 
that since his office lost the KAZA portfolio, he did not know which 
Directorate (i.e., Scientific Services, or Parks and Wildlife 
Management) now handled KAZA issues.  He mentioned that the KAZA 
Technical Committee held in Victoria falls (see below), where 
participants agreed that KAZA members should incorporate funding for 
KAZA in their nation budgets.  Thansibeb intimated that Namibia is 
apparently the only one to have already done so. 
 
KAZA Technical Committee Meeting 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶17. The KAZA Technical Committee (TC) met June 3-6 to map a way 
forward for KAZA implementation, one of its key responsibilities. 
This, according to KAZA TFCA Coordinator Sedia Modise, who provided 
June 25 to REHO and USAID's Regional Water and Biodiversity Field 
Office an update on the Secretariat's activities.  The TC discussed, 
inter alia, a financial sustainability strategy, Terms of Reference 
(TOR) for a Tourism Development Plan and IDPs, guidelines for 
Working Groups that are to be established to help the TC, a revised 
logo for KAZA, pledged and hoped-for donor support, and staffing for 
the Secretariat. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶18. It is fair to say that since the KAZA MOU signing in 2006 and 
the KAZA donor meeting in 2007, progress has been glacially slow. 
Nonetheless, there has indeed been some movement.  The KAZA 
Secretariat and Technical Committee are now in operation (the former 
is still a one-person operation though) and can thus address KAZA 
issues that need to be brought to the attention of the Ministers of 
the member nations.  The KAZA Technical Committee did meet earlier 
this month in Victoria Falls to discuss a way forward, and as noted 
above, Zambia launched its KAZA IDP.  As the Pre-feasibility Study 
made clear and some Ministers echoed, KAZA implementation would be a 
long, complicated and painfully slow process.  So far, they have 
been proven right. 
 
Drouin