Peace Parks Foundation is deeply honoured to welcome the President of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, as an Honorary Patron
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As Honorary Patron, President Ramaphosa will be joining the Heads of State of Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, as well as His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho and His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Eswatini in supporting Peace Parks Foundation.
Currently, Peace Parks is involved in the co-management of eight key protected areas spanning over six million hectares in southern Africa. It is in the process of expanding this to 11 protected areas spanning ten million hectares by 2030. Should these protected areas be successfully developed and professionally managed, it will unlock the ecosystem functionality of five priority transboundary landscapes spanning 68 million hectares. Peace Parks’ vision is to achieve 17 fully functional transboundary landscapes by 2050, spanning 980,000 km² throughout southern Africa. This would be one of the world’s largest conservation initiatives supporting sustainable economic development, the conservation of biodiversity, and regional peace and stability.
President Ramaphosa recognises the vital role Peace Parks Foundation plays in reconnecting Africa’s wild spaces and appreciates the importance of its commitment to empowering the communities living alongside conservation areas in southern Africa.
Peace Parks’ partnerships with the South African government, represented by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South African National Parks and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, are strong and impactful.
This collaboration brings together provincial and national authorities as well as private-sector partners in an unparalleled network of cooperation within and between protected areas where they share borders with neighbouring countries. It also supports South Africa’s National Integrated Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking and is crucial to tackling organised wildlife crime, in seven priority wildlife zones throughout South Africa.
At the Biodiversity Economy and Investment Indaba earlier this year, President Ramaphosa aptly stated: “We have co-existed harmoniously with our biodiversity because we recognise the importance of the interdependent and respectful relationship between humankind and nature.”
The President’s assertion resonates deeply with the Peace Parks Foundation’s vision of creating a future where both people and nature live in harmony.
