JUST ANNOUNCED: CI congratulates the Government of Namibia on their decision to formally announce the Sperrgebiet as a National Park.  This 2.6 million hectare park is the largest single-area proclamation in Africa in the past 20 years.

The Sperrgebiet forms a critical part of an ambitious Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) now being planned with South Africa, straddling the Orange River and potentially covering more than 100,000 square kilometers. CI has been fortunate to also assist in the planning of this TFCA, through an integrated Conservation and Development Plan for the Namibian component. Congratulations to these two countries for the consistent commitment they have shown to transboundary conservation.

FULL STATEMENT: Namibia Proclaims Huge National Park in Former Diamond-Mining Area 

Africa is a continent of incredible forests and savannas, indispensable plants, and breathtaking animals. By preserving these resources and using them responsibly, each African country can flourish.

Access to natural resources plays a key role in the challenges Africa faces such as hunger, poverty, and disease. Conservation can protect remaining resources, and help restore those that have been lost. A focus on protecting Africa’s unique plants and animals helps build a healthy environment to combat hunger, improve access to clean water, and even contribute to poverty alleviation.

A healthy Africa will provide people with the food, water, medicine, shelter; everything people need for a healthy, prosperous life. Vast areas of the continent – like the Congo Basin and Miombo-Mopane Woodlands and Savannas – hold enormous promise. These represent two of the five most important wilderness areas on the Earth. And preserving these diverse areas provides important benefits for the local communities: jobs, ecological services, a contribution to state income. Nine of Earth’s Biodiversity Hotspots lie in Africa, and by drawing on the strength of community relationships with their environments, they can be preserved for generations.

A growing number of African nations are leading the way for the rest of the continent, and CI is working by their sides, bringing all of our resources to their aid. From the island of Madagascar to the forests of Liberia, people are increasingly making responsible choices and investing in protecting precious natural resources. These encouraging signs bode well for the future of Africa’s biological diversity.