10 Nov 2025

The Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership (AKPAP) is a bold and vital collaborative initiative aimed at preserving the African continent’s ecosystems and ensure sustainable future for its biodiversity.

This was said by Minister of Environment and Tourism, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi at a ministerial reception dinner hosted to celebrate the newly launched partnership by government, in conjunction with the Rob Walton Foundation (RWF) and the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF) recently.

The dinner also marked the conclusion of the third day of the inaugural Africa Biodiversity Summit, themed: Leveraging Africa’s Biodiversity for Prosperity.

Launched in USA on the sidelines of the 80^th United Nations General Assembly in September, AKPAP is set to protect 162 of Africa’s most critical protected areas by 2035 through partnerships involving governments, communities and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

AKPAP is a national extension of these efforts, recognising that in order to protect Africa’s biodiversity, we must focus on the most critical areas that are keystone to the survival of many species, ecosystems and the health of our planet,” he said.

Minister Mmolotsi told attendees that he was happy that Botswana had long been committed to conservation, having already dedicated 40 per cent of its land as protected areas.

“Our abundant wildlife and rich ecosystems are not just part of our national identity, they are essential to our well-being and that of our future generations.

 He added that for Botswana, the initiative was both an environmental and a socio-economic imperative, as the nation’s economy was deeply intertwined with its ecosystems through ecotourism and wildlife-based industries.

He emphasised that protecting nature was key to protecting livelihoods, communities and the future of Africa itself. He thanked the Rob Walton Foundation (RWF) founder, Mr Rob Walton and his family, for their visionary leadership and commitment to Africa.

The Rob Walton Foundation is dedicated to supporting large-scale conservation efforts and collaborative partnerships, primarily across the continent. The minister also thanked the AWF for their essential work in conserving Africa’s wildlife.

For her part, RWF Special Projects Fellow, Ms Monique St. Jarre, highlighted the critical role of biodiversity in securing a thriving future for Africa, stating that conservation must deliver outcomes where both people and nature prospered.

She noted that safeguarding even one protected area in perpetuity was a monumental task and doing so across 162 landscapes in 33 countries would require unprecedented collaboration and long-term commitment.

“Effective management of the areas is estimated to require around more than P16.19 billion (US$1.2 billion) per year from public and private partners,” she said.

She added that to meet the challenge, the RWF was helping to catalyse the effort by committing its own funding and working to mobilise other funders, hence the foundation joined African leaders, NGOs, communities and funders to launch AKPAP this year, with the goal of safeguarding all 162 keystone areas over the next 10 years.

“The goal is not to introduce a new agenda, but rather to help accelerate and resource the national strategies already set by African governments,” she said.

She urged for continued collaboration, saying ‘we are here to listen, to co-create and to ground this effort in the priorities and leadership of African governments and communities.

"So, please join us to rally the resources, the talent and the will to meet this challenge at scale to safeguard all 162 keystone areas for wildlife, for people and for Africa’s future." ENDS