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Successes and challenges for the TFCAs in Southern Africa. PRESENTATION TO THE IUCN workshop. OUTLINE . SUCCESSES BACKGROUND LEGAL MANDATE NUMBER OF TFCAs MILESTONES TFCA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY CHALLENGES PRIORITY AREAS . BACKGROUND. The TFCA programme seeks to:
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Successes and challenges for the TFCAs in Southern Africa PRESENTATION TO THE IUCN workshop
OUTLINE • SUCCESSES • BACKGROUND • LEGAL MANDATE • NUMBER OF TFCAs • MILESTONES • TFCA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY • CHALLENGES • PRIORITY AREAS
BACKGROUND The TFCA programme seeks to: • Foster trans-national collaboration and co-operation for effective management of shared ecosystems; • Promote alliances in the management natural resources by encouraging social, economic and other partnerships; • Develop cross-border eco-tourism as a means of fostering regional socio-economic development. • Establish mechanisms to facilitate exchange of technical, scientific and legal information for the joint management of ecosystems.
LEGAL MANDATE • The legal foundation for the establishment, development and management of TFCAs is the SADC Protocol on Wildlife and Law Enforcement Article 4(f). • All international agreements establishing the TFCAs are based on that Protocol. • The agreements are also informed by other relevant instruments e.g. • SADC protocols related to NRM, shared river basins, and water resources; • MEAs that promote international collaboration in the management of shared natural resources
LEGAL MANDATE • The principal signatories to the international agreements on the TFCAs are the Political Heads of Government Departments/Ministries. • In terms of the provisions of South African Constitution DEA has the mandate with the approval of the President to enter into international agreements on the establishment of TFCAs.
MILESTONES • Development and implementation of joint conservation management and tourism development plans (guide management of TFCAs as integrated units) • Development of joint governance structures such as Joint Management Boards, Technical Committees, thematic working groups • Dropping of fences in strategic areas to improve free movement of wildlife in the ecosystem ranges • Establishment of cross border tourist access facilities (Giriyondo, Mata Mata, Twee Rivieren, Sendelingsdrift)
MILESTONES • Development of Boundless Southern Africa, a marketing brand for TFCA. Its purpose is to market and promote TFCA in a consolidated and coordinated manner (launched in 2008, registered with RETOSA). • Packaging and promotion of investment opportunities in TFCAs.
Kavango-Zambezi GLTP Limpopo-Shase Kgalagadi Lubombo AI/Ais –Richtersveld MDTP TFCA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
TFCA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY BEYOND 2010 2010
CHALLENGES • Lack of financial commitment from other countries to facilitate the TFCA initiative • Lack of funds for infrastructure development. • Land claims in some areas • Escalating cost for incorporating private land into the TFCAs • Political instability in some countries • Land use conflict in some areas (i.e. conservation, agriculture or mining)
PRIORITY AREAS • Formulation of implementable policies and/or strategies on conservation issues that transcend national boundaries • Wildlife exchange programmes and translocations • Control of AIS, disease control and fire management • Cross border research • Cross border law enforcement • Regulation of driving 4 X 4 vehicles and quad bikes on environmentally sensitive areas • Implementation of UNIVISA
PRIORITY AREAS • Establishment of TFCA Trust Fund • Establish cross border tourist access facilities (Greater Mapungubwe, Lubombo, Maloti-Drakensberg) • Full implementation of the TFCA brand (awareness raising and active marketing of TFCAs) • Establishment of central reservation system • Investment promotion in an effort to secure investors for the packaged projects. • Infrastructure development • Establishment of central communication systems in TFCAs
CONCLUSION The priority areas are common to most of the TFCAs. • Need to develop a clear programme of action to achieve all of these in order to realize full potential of TFCAs • Some of the areas may require the amendment or SADC Protocols • Collaboration of member states is critical.