Angola To Set Up Cross-border Biodiversity Conservation Area

Source: Angola Press

Date: 30 August 2006

Author: Anon

Luanda, 08/30 - A cross-border biodiversity conservation area called "Okavango-Zambezi", involving five southern Africa countries, will be created soon under the National Strategy and Action Plan on Biodiversity (NBSAP) of the Angolan Ministry of Urbanisation and Environment.

The information was supplied to Angop on Wednesday by the project manager, Vladimir Russo, who said the initiative that pursues multiple purposes, was revived by the Ministries of Tourism of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The project sets as its priorities the establishment of a cross-border area of conservation and a destination for international tourism in the regions of the Okavango and Zambezi hydrographic basins, within the context of sustainable development.

According to the source, in Angola the project will cover the Mucusso, Luengue, Luiana and Longa-Mavinga Game Reserves in southeastern Angola`s Kuando-Kubango province.

Kavango-Zambezi is one of the world`s major and most ambitious projects and includes the share of biodiversity benefits through better practises of management, conservation, tourism and subsistence opportunities.

It is intended to connect 14 important environmental protection areas, across international borders with a view to an integrated destination of conservation and tourism, covering an area of 278,000 square kilometres.

Once complete, the project is expected to have the potential to become the main tourist destination in Southern Africa.