KfW supports the world's largest nature conservation area: an additional EUR 15.5 million for the KaZa park in southern Africa

Frankfurt am Main (ots) -

- Focus on the development of ecotourism
- Greater benefits for the local population
- More efficient park management in three wildlife corridors
- Transboundary measures to combat poachers, defuse conflict
between humans and animals

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development (BMZ), KfW signed a financing agreement for the KaZa
park with the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation
and Tourism (MENT) in Botswana in the amount of EUR 15.5 million. The
funds from the third phase of financing will be provided particularly
for the development of ecotourism as a livelihood for the local
population and for the region's further economic development. The
transboundary KaZa area is located in the catchment area of the
Okavango and Upper Zambezi Rivers in the countries of Angola,
Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and covers an area of nearly
520,000 km2. Other measures include more efficient park management
and the implementation of land use plans at local level to promote
coexistence between humans and wildlife and curb the increasing
spread of poaching. The measures will initially be launched in three
wildlife corridors (Zambezi-Chobe Floodplain, Kwando River and
Hwange-Kazuma-Chobe).

"The project in KaZa Park, one of the world's most important
nature conservation projects, aims to preserve the unique megafauna
of southern Africa as a global public good and thus benefits all of
humanity. In addition, the largely poor rural residents there will
benefit even more from the natural resources of their environment
and, as a future beneficiary of local ecotourism, will become the
focus of our support," said Dr Joachim Nagel, member of KfW Group's
Executive Board.

The idea to create the transnational KaZa nature park dates back
to an African initiative in 1993 which, according to the concept of
what are known as "peace parks", also encompasses former conflict
regions and is intended to strengthen transboundary cooperation.
Since 2009, Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe have received
support to implement the park concept and initial measures to
strengthen the institutional framework in the context of financial
cooperation with SADC. By supporting the KaZa park, KfW promotes
peaceful development in the region, the conservation of extraordinary
natural resources and cross-border economic development with the
involvement of the private sector, thereby making a major
contribution to alleviating poverty. To date, KfW has committed over
EUR 35 million for the project.

Further information on the KfW Development Bank can be found at:
http://ots.de/JDpqq1.

Further information about KaZa can be found at
https://www.kfw.de/stories/umwelt/naturschutz/kaza-nationalpark/

Contact:
KfW, Palmengartenstr. 5 - 9, 60325 Frankfurt
Kommunikation (KOM), Dr. Charis Pöthig
Tel. +49 (0)69 7431 4683, Fax: +49 (0)69 7431 3266,
E-Mail: Charis.Poethig@kfw.de, Internet: www.kfw.de

Original-Content von: KfW, übermittelt durch news aktuell