New honorary patron: President Jacob Zuma of South Africa

Peace Parks Foundation is very pleased to announce that the President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma, has kindly agreed to become an honorary patron of the Foundation and, in accepting, expressed his support for the peace parks initiative.

South Africa is partner to six transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs). These include Africa’s first peace park, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park bordering with Botswana and Namibia, /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park bordering with Namibia, Greater Mapungubwe TFCA bordering with Botswana and Zimbabwe, Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park bordering with Mozambique and Zimbabwe, Lubombo TFCA bordering with Mozambique and Swaziland and Maloti-Drakensberg TFCA bordering with Lesotho.

CEO of Peace Parks Foundation, Mr Werner Myburgh said: ‘This is a tremendous honour for the Foundation and we warmly welcome President Zuma to Peace Parks Foundation. I’d like to applaud the heads of state of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for their vision and will to realise the TFCAs that are making a major contribution to the region’s conservation and sustainable economic development.’

Peace Parks Foundation has nine more honorary patrons, namely President Rupiah Bwezani Banda (Zambia), President Jose Eduardo dos Santos (Angola), President Armando Emilio Guebuza (Mozambique), President Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama (Botswana), His Majesty King Letsie III (Lesotho), ), His Majesty King Mswati III (Swaziland), President Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), President Hifikepunye Pohamba (Namibia) and President Dr Bingu wa Mutharika (Malawi).