Further Funding For The Malawi-Zambia TFCA

The German Federal Ministry for Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has committed €18 million ($24.1m) to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) under its financial cooperation in order to develop the Malawi-Zambia TFCA. KfW, the German Development Bank, is mandated by BMZ to carry out German financial cooperation.

The funding commitment follows on an appeal by SADC, at the request of the governments of Malawi and Zambia, for financial assistance to develop the Malawi-Zambia TFCA at bi-lateral negotiations with the Federal Republic of Germany in 2011.

The proposed assistance will complement the activities of other international cooperating partners in the area, with the overall objective of supporting the TFCA’s conservation of natural resources, while mitigating poverty.

Feasibility studies were conducted in May 2013 and in February 2014 and BMZ officially commissioned KfW to undertake an appraisal mission to the TFCA from 2-15 June 2014. The appraisal mission identified key challenges and implementation priorities for the TFCA. The other partners and NGOs active in the TFCA were also consulted to ensure that the further support would be coordinated and synergistic rather than duplicative in nature. Challenges and strengths were identified, recommendations made, proposed projects outcomes set and the project implementation planned around the necessary structures, to be put in place.

The appraisal mission consisted of representatives of the governments of Malawi and Zambia, KfW, the German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation (GIZ), the TFCA’s international coordinator and Peace Parks Foundation.

Implementation is set to start in 2016, with a focus on the North Luangwa National Park, Musalangu Game Management Area, Lundazi Forest Reserve, the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve (including the Bambanda-Zaro Wildlife Sanctuary) and the Nyika national parks.

The German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, through KfW, has also been supporting the development of the KAZA TFCA and Limpopo National Park in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

International cooperating partners

On 21 April 2011 the World Bank’s board of executive directors approved a Global Environmental Facility trust fund grant to the value of $4.82 million for a project that aims to establish the more effective cross-border management of biodiversity in the TFCA. In addition, co-financing commitments have been secured from the Norwegian embassy in Malawi, the governments of Malawi and Zambia, and Peace Parks Foundation for a total amount of $11.09 million over the next five years.