SADC and JAPAN launches the SADC Project on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forest Resources in Southern Africa

BOTSWANA, 23RD February, 2015. The SADC Executive Secretary Her Excellency Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax and the Japanese Ambassador to Botswana, His Excellency Mr. Masahiro Onishi today launched the SADC Project on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Forest Resources in Southern Africa. The project aims at enhancing the capacity of SADC Member States for sustainable forest management and conservation. The project will specifically, improve capacity in forest information systems, integrated forest fire management, and participatory forest management. It will also strengthen coordination capacity of the SADC Secretariat in these areas.

In her remarks the SADC Executive Secretary highlighted that forests are an important natural resource for the SADC as they support national economies and livelihoods of the majority of people of the SADC region. She therefore expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the Government and People of Japan for the financial and technical support provided to SADC and hailed the cordial relationship that exists between SADC and Japan.

In his remarks, noted that the Japanese assistance has been provided to assist the region to reverse the current trend of deforestation, and improve region’s forest fire management, and information systems to international standards. The Ambassador ended by announcing the sixth edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) which will take place in Nairobi, Kenya on 27th and 28th August, 2016. “I expect that TICAD VI will be a valuable opportunity for SADC and Japan to strengthen their relationship and seek further collaboration for regional development”, he said.

 The project is the first SADC regional project supported by the Government of Japan.