SADC TFCAs Office
Objectives of TFCAs Office
Activities of the TFCAs Office
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The concept of creating transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) is recognised as important tool in promoting the conservation of biodiversity and endangered ecosystems. It has been established that the development of TFCAs can contribute to the welfare and improvement in the standards of living of rural communities through the development of tourism and tourism related products. TFCAs compliment the SADC principles related to alleviation of poverty and regional economic integration.

The SADC Member States have demonstrated their commitment to the conservation of biodiversity by signing the Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement in 1999 and ratifying it at the end of 2003. Article 4(f) of this Protocol commits the SADC Member States to “promote the conservation of the shared wildlife resources through the establishment of transfrontier conservation areas”. In this Protocol, a TFCA is defined as “the area or component of a large ecological region that straddles the boundaries of two or more countries encompassing one or more protected areas as well as multiple resources use areas”.

At present, there are about 20 (Table 1) existing and potential TFCAs within the SADC region (Map 1). The development of these TFCAs is at different stages with a few established with Treaties, a few more with Memoranda of Understanding to facilitate their establishment being negotiated whereas the consultations to establish the other TFCAs are still to be initiated. The continued increase in the number of TFCAs is a clear indication of the interest, buy-in and social acceptance of TFCAs as nodes for rural development. The SADC has also accepted the TFCA principle as an outreach programme to include the rural areas in the deeper regional integration agenda in its drive to meet the Millennium Development Goals in Southern Africa.

The SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) Office was established in May 2006 under the Natural Resource Management Unit (Wildlife Sector), Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources. This followed the approval of the SADC Integrated Committee of Ministers (ICM) in June 2005, which was endorsed by the SADC Council of Ministers in August 2005. The Office is manned by a Technical Advisor who has been seconded on a two-year contract. 

The ICM noted that the principle of collective ownership of resources that straddle international boundaries is enshrined in various international instruments to which SADC Member States are party to. Within the SADC region, the principle is enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement of 1999. 

The primary objective of the SADC TFCAs office is to assist the SADC Secretariat in refining and coordinating all regional projects and programmes associated with the establishment and development of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) in the SADC region as part of implementing the SADC Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement of 1999. The specific objectives of the Office are as follows: 

· promote the establishment and development of TFCAs in the SADC region as nodes of rural development and environmental conservation; 

· provide technical support to Member States in the establishment and development of TFCAs in the SADC region; 

· facilitate the exchange of information and experiences among Member States; 

· promote TFCAs as legitimate components of regional development programmes for poverty alleviation and community development; 

· promote the development of cross border tourism activities as a means of fostering regional and socio-economic development; 

· mobilise financing and technical services to support Member States in establishing and developing TFCAs; 

· facilitate the promotion of community and private sector involvement in TFCAs activities such as tourism for revenue generation; 

· promote conservation and sustainable management of ecosystems that transcend international boundaries within the SADC region; and 

· promote trust, transparency and mutual respect in the overall TFCA processes.

Activities of the TFCAs Office: 

Main areas of focus are: 

· develop frameworks and strategies to define role of all the key stakeholders (i.e. communities, private sector, government institutions, NGOs, donors, SADC Secretariat) to actively participate in the establishment and development of TFCAs; 

· develop and facilitate the implementation of guidelines, standards or best practices for the establishment and development of TFCAs; 

· Establish a resource centre for reference materials on TFCAs, specifically to 

o Maintain database on existing and potential TFCAs in the SADC region

o Compile and disseminate information on the performance of TFCAs in the region.

· Promote and maintain networking with other TFCA practitioners working in the SADC region 

· Facilitate the establishment of permanent support structures for TFCA within the SADC Secretariat.

Contact the SADC TFCAs Office