Terms of Reference for a Consultancy:
Development of a Sustainable Financing Strategy for the AiAis-Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Area
INSTITUTION:
SADC/GIZ Project “Transboundary Use and Protection of Natural Resources in the SADC Region”
CONTACT ADDRESS:
Bartolomeu Soto, bsoto@sadc.int and
Martin Schneichel, martin.schneichel@giz.de
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
10.04.2014
INTRODUCTION
Southern Africa is one of the regions pioneering the development of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement of 1999 provides a measure of the high level of awareness and political support for the TFCA concept in the region. It defines a Transfrontier Conservation Area 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 resource use areas". The Protocol commits the SADC Member States to promote the conservation of shared wildlife resources through the establishment of Transfrontier Conservation Areas. A SADC TFCA Programme has therefore been developed which is supposed to be approved by the Member States during the course of 2013. One of the major challenges the programme intends to address is lack and limited funding for TFCAs.
Several TFCAs have been formally established by SADC Member States either through Treaties or Memorandums of Understanding, while some others are still in the process of negotiation. The TFCAs have been established between individual Member States, with their development supported by a range of International Cooperating Partners. These organisations have over the past years mobilised funds to facilitate the establishment of TFCAs including their conceptual planning, technical support, infrastructure, operational costs and capacity building. The assistance of the donors has mostly been organised on bilateral arrangements, which targeted national components of TFCAs.
But Member States are still finding it difficult to mobilise financial resources for the implementation of TFCA activities. So the SADC TFCA Programme in its second component calls for the establishment of sustainable financing mechanisms and the SADC/GIZ Project “Transboundary Use and Protection of Natural Resources in the SADC Region” in its attempt to support the implementation of the Programme therefore intents to search for mechanisms that can ensure the long-term development of TFCAs. AiAis-Richtersveld would be the first one the SADC/GIZ project wants to support in the development of a sustainable financing strategy, a pilot activity that might lead to similar processes in other TFCAs in the future.
OBJECTIVE
Development of a Sustainable Financing Strategy with relevant stakeholders for the AiAis-Richtersveld TFCA.
SPECIFIC TASKS
Conduct a desk study about existing financing mechanisms for protected areas in Africa.
Establish a working group with the relevant stakeholders of the TFCA for the development of the sustainable financing strategy.
Collect information with the work group on present costs and ways of financing the AiAis-Richtersveld TFCA.
In consultation with the working group define possible sources for sustainable financing that should include:
- National (government) funds
- Economic activities of the TFCA stakeholders
- Acquisition of donor funds
- Other possible source
Establish with the work group the sustainable financing strategy defining the future financial needs of the TFCA and the potential sources and develop an action plan how to implement the strategy.
EXPECTED RESULT
A comprehensive sustainable financing strategy for the AiAis-Richtersveld TFCA, elaborated and agreed with the stakeholders that establishes estimates of expected cost, revenues and funding shortfalls, defines economic activities and approaches to mobilize the required funding and defines a road map to implement the strategy.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The consultant will work under the SADC/GIZ Project “Transboundary Use and Protection of Natural Resources” manager. He/she will be closely guided by a steering committee that will be comprised of representatives of the SADC Secretariat, GIZ and Peace Parks Foundation (PPF).
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
The assignment should be carried out by an individual consultant with the following minimal qualifications:
- A MSc in business administration, financial management, environmental/ resource economics or similar.
- Minimum of 10 years of work experience in financing protected areas.
- Good interpersonal relations and communications skills.
- Good writing and speaking skills in English.
- Demonstrated previous experience in similar assignments would be an advantage.
