Boosting Regional Integration: SADC Officials Collaborate on Environment and Tourism Initiatives

Meeting for a Greener Tomorrow

Welcome to the meeting focused on environment, natural resources, and tourism, preparing for the SADC Joint Ministerial Meeting on May 21. It’s great to see so many dedicated officials here today in beautiful Harare, Zimbabwe.

First, a big thank you to Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba for his warm hospitality and leadership. Your commitment to sustainable development means a lot to us all.

This meeting marks 25 years of transfrontier conservation areas. This milestone highlights regional cooperation in preserving our natural resources. It’s a reminder of our responsibility to safeguard biodiversity, which supports our economies and cultures.

Over the next two days, we’ll dive into vital topics that will set the stage for the upcoming ministerial meeting. Your discussions will shape recommendations, so it’s crucial we cover every angle.

Key Discussion Areas

We will review the SADC Wildlife-Based Economy Strategy and strategies to combat poaching. Also, we’ll consider updates on transfrontier conservation areas, including funding initiatives that enhance our collective efforts to protect wildlife.

A crucial aspect will be preparations for the upcoming CITES CoP20 in November 2025. This global event will be a platform for SADC to voice our regional priorities regarding wildlife conservation.

In forestry, we’ll assess progress in implementing the SADC Forestry Strategy. This includes initiatives aimed at reducing deforestation, which is vital for our sustainable future.

Tourism discussions will focus on the SADC Tourism Programme. This includes the new Tourism Private Sector Regional Platform and steps to improve air access for travelers. These efforts are essential for boosting tourism in our region.

We will also tackle pressing environmental issues like climate change and land degradation. Initiatives like the Great Green Wall will be on the agenda, alongside discussions about funding mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund.

Thinking Ahead

It’s essential that our strategies align with the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2020–2030) and the SADC Vision 2050. These plans help ensure that we confront environmental challenges head-on and remain sustainable.

As we engage in this meeting, let’s collaborate and share insights. The recommendations you create will enhance our region’s future and bring prosperity to our communities.

Thanks again to all our international partners for your ongoing support in our environmental and tourism efforts.

Now, I’d like to invite Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba to share his opening remarks.

Thank you!

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