26 Feb 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi on February 25 accepted an invitation to be patron of the Peace Parks Foundation (PPF).

Former Mozambique president and also PPF vice chairperson Mr Joaquim Chissano who extended the invitation, said it was the norm that PPF invited any new head of state within the region to be patron of the foundation

In his acceptance note, Dr Masisi said Botswana had a lot to share citing anti-poaching as one area where the country had expertise.

He said Botswana was keen on the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) because it was a sustainable development.

The President assured Mr Chissano that the 500 elephants offer to Mozambique was still on the table.

Meanwhile, Mr Chissano has said PPF, whose aim was to improve the lives of the people, needed Botswana’s support to help find ways of building the foundation through regional cooperation.

Furthermore, Mr Chissano said PPF has signed memoranda of understanding with different countries, including Botswana through the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism.

The invitation to Dr Masisi was therefore a way of implementing the MOU, he said.

 Noting that tourism, which played a pivotal role in the region’s economy continued to grow, Mr Chissano said PPF was ready to cooperate and support government on tourism and conservation matters. 

For his part, PPF chief executive officer Mr Werner Myburgh said they welcomed Botswana’s expertise especially on anti-poaching. 

Regarding KAZA, Mr Myburgh described it as a powerful initiative in the region and appealed to Dr Masisi to spearhead and lead it.

PPF’s dream is to re-establish, renew and preserve large functional ecosystems that transcend man-made boundaries, thereby protecting and regenerating natural and cultural heritage vital to enabling and sustaining a harmonious future for man and the natural world. ends