Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. BOTSWANA, South Africa, and Zimbabwe have signed a treaty to establish the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, aiming at promoting cross-border environmental conservation, cultural heritage protection, and sustainable socio-economic development.
The countries will work together to protect nature and cultural heritage in the Greater Mapungubwe area, while also improving people’s lives through conservation and sustainable development.
Speaking during a post-cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Information Minister Jenfan Muswere said the people in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area share common values, interests, and cultural ties and are therefore working together to create strategies that support both community well-being and environmental conservation.
“The objective of the Treaty is to establish the Greater Mapungubwe
Transfrontier Conservation Area for the promotion of collaborative conservation of the environment and shared natural and cultural heritage resources for the benefit of people in the Transfrontier Conservation Area.
“Owing to shared values, interests and cultures among the people in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, the governments of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe are coming together to develop models for enhancing livelihoods and conservation efforts.
“The Treaty will promote ecosystem integrity, biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage resource management and sustainable socio-economic development across international boundaries.
“The Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area will comprise the following areas: the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, in Botswana; the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site in South Africa; and the Tuli Circle Safari Area, Maramani and other surrounding Wildlife Management Areas in Zimbabwe.
Communities in the Greater Mapungubwe area face major problems like human-wildlife conflicts, climate change effects, and limited job or income options for locals.
Meanwhile, according to authorities, in Zimbabwe, 300 people were killed in human-wildlife conflicts nationwide between 2019 and 2023, with recent reports indicating that 18 people were killed in this year’s first quarter alone.
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