PEACE PARKS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

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PEACE PARKS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

• Larry A. Swatuk (Phd)
• Associate Professor
• Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre
• September 2005, Washington, USA

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HARRY OPPENHEIMER OKAVANGO RESEARCH CENTRE
(HOORC)UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA
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Proliferation of TBNRM Projects in Southern Africa

• Kglagadi
• Great Limpopo
• Lubombo
• Maloti-Drakensberg
• OUZIT
• /Ai-/Ai Richtersveld

Niassa-Selous Iona-Skeleton Coast Liuwa
Plains-Kamiura Lower Zambezi-Mana
Pools Malawi-Tanzania Chimanimani Mnazi
Bay-Quirimbas
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Drivers for Peace Parks in Southern Africa

• International Agencies
• Bilateral donors (GTZ, SIDA USAID)
• Multilateral Agencies (EU, WB, IUCN)
• NGOs (CI WWF)

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Motives (Interests and beliefs)

• For international conservation agencies, TBNRM is
  pro current
• Macro-management approaches based on ecosystems
  (IUCN)
• Ecological hotspots that conserve biodiversity
  (CI)

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Southern Africa candidate for several reasons

• Move (by conservation groups) to reconnect
  fragmented protected areas (formerly conservation
  corridors and areas of transition) and correct
  environmental ills plaguing the region (e.g.
  deforestation, soil erosion, species loss,
  biodiversity) and achieve multilateral
  environmental agreements (global goods) and UN
  MDGs

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Contd

• 25-yr formal commitment to regional peace (FLS
  alliance) and economic development (SADC)
• SADCs RISDP- TBNRM is a tool to bridge the
  infrastructure divide, successfully brand itself
  tourism destination of choice and eradicate
  poverty

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Contd

• SADCs transition ( from conflict to peace,
  colonial/authoritarian rule to unconsolidated
  democracies, end of cold war and apartheid
• Peace dividend-shift military personnel and
  technology to environmental protection
• Heal the wounds by converting swords into
  ploughshares
• TBNRM important for regional peace-making and
  building- U.S., Britain and Germany

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Issues to consider

• Peace parks must be set within local political
  ecology
• Peace parks cannot be considered separately from
  other conservation activities and their results
• Peace parks cannot be delinked from
  national/regional devpt strategies/priorities

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Ways forward

• TBNRM achievements must be assessed (reflection)
• TBNRM goals must be set and aligned with those of
  national parks, game reserves and other protected
  areas in southern Africa
• TBNRM supporters must press for subsidiarity
  (local level participation is key)

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Contd

• TBNRM must in-build mechanisms for monitoring and
  benchmarking
• Achievements must not be exaggerated by
  supporters and practitioners of TBNRM

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Thank you, comevisit any time