KAZA Summit

More than 400 delegates gathered in Livingstone, Zambia, for the inaugural Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA) summit.

Objectives of the KAZA Summit:

1. Assess the progress in establishing and developing the KAZA-TFCA since its inception.
2. Review and track the progress of the Memorandum of Understanding done in 2016 and the implementation of the KAZA Treaty of 2011.
3. Seek renewed commitment from the current leaders of the member countries.

Theme of the Summit:

"Leveraging KAZA's natural capital and cultural heritage resources as catalysts for inclusive socio-economic development of the eco-region."

Key Facts about the KAZA Region:

1. The Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA) spans 520,000 square kilometers and includes 5 southern African nations: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
2. These nations are also home to over two-thirds of the African elephant population.
3. The region is known for its high concentration of wildlife species, including the largest elephant population.
4. Approximately 70% of the KAZA land is under conversation, comprising 103 wildlife management areas and 85 forest reserves.
5. It includes three World Heritage sites: the Victoria Falls, the Okavango Delta, and the Tsodilo Hills.

KAZA Treaty and Partnership:

1. The KAZA states signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2006, leading to the KAZA Treaty of 2011, which was followed by immediate implementation.
2. The KAZA-FTCA area is a partnership focused on conserving biodiversity through integrated transboundary management and marketing the region's biodiversity using nature-based tourism for rural economic growth and development.

Okavango Delta:

1. The Okavango Delta, located in northwest Botswana, comprises permanent marshlands and seasonally flooded plains.
2. It is one of the few major interior delta systems that does not flow into the sea or ocean, with a mostly intact wetland system.

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