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The Summit Report THE SUMMIT REPORT August, 2019 Acknowledgements The African Wildlife Economy summit was made possible through the contributions of the partners below, to which the organizers are grateful. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this report lies entirely with the authors). I Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. I Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ IV The Summit ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction and Opening Remarks ................................................................................................ 2 Youth Perspectives .............................................................................................................................. 3 Session: Sparking New Ideas: The Future we want for Africa’s People and Wildlife ..................... 3 Private Sector Perspectives ................................................................................................................. 3 Session: Unlocking Investments and The Power of the Wildlife Economy ..................................... 3 Session: The Wildlife Economy Opportunity for Africa................................................................... 4 Session: Panel on Private Sector Perspectives Africa on the Move ................................................ 4 Heads of State Dialogue .................................................................................................................. 5 Perspectives of Development Partners and Catalytic Enablers ...................................................... 6 Session: Panel on Expanding Wildlife-Based Tourism .................................................................... 6 Session: Panel on Building Africa’s Wildlife Economy .................................................................... 6 Community perspectives .................................................................................................................... 7 Session: Panel on Voices from the Community .............................................................................. 7 Ministerial Responses ......................................................................................................................... 7 Session: Ministerial Response Dialogues ........................................................................................ 7 Public-Private Partnerships ................................................................................................................. 8 Session: Co-management Dialogues ............................................................................................... 8 Session: Panel on Innovative Approaches to Expand Economic Benefits ...................................... 8 Session: Practical Experience to Unlock Wildlife and Timber Value Chains ................................... 9 Side Events .......................................................................................................................................... 9 List of Annexes ...................................................................................................................................... 10 II Photo of Ministers of Government, Heads of key institutions, taken with participating Heads of State III Executive Summary On June 24-25, 2019 Victoria falls, Zimbabwe hosted more than 1300 delegates representing over 30 African countries to for the first African Wildlife Economy Summit. The 2-day summit was co- organized by the United Nations Environment Programme, the African Union, and the Ministry of Environment, Tourism, Hospitality and Industry of the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe. The high-level summit was an inaugural event aimed at bringing together disparate discussions and initiatives currently underway or planned to support nature-based economies across Africa. The summit also aspired to forge a new deal to expand opportunities for tourism, rural communities and wildlife for the benefit of Africa. Understanding and unlocking the potential of these opportunities, while achieving economic, social and ecological sustainability require a new level of commitment, investment and entrepreneurship. In attendance were Heads of State for Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, 14 Ministers of Environment, Tourism and Wildlife from across African States and beyond, including those of Angola, Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Liberia, Namibia, South Africa, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Also present were development partners and intergovernmental organizations such as the European Commission, private sector players and civil society organizations working across Africa in wildlife and tourism related sectors. More than 40 community representatives drawn from across the continent were also in attendance (see Annex 2 for a list of accredited delegates). Key issues that dominated the discussions, from dialogues by heads of states, through panel discussions, to keynote speeches, were the need for Africa’s wildlife economy initiative to (i) assure rights to benefits for local communities though relevant laws, (ii) institute proper structures that ensure equitable distribution of benefits accrued from the wildlife economy, (iii) promote proper governance through elaborate transparent and accountable processes, systems and institutions, (iv) ensure participation by all stakeholders in decision making, (v) develop a regulatory framework that attracts private sector investment, (vi) call for development partners to enhance conditions that encourage private sector investment and catalyse financing options for conservation of natural resources. IV The Summit More than 1300 delegates, including political leaders from across Africa led by H.E Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, H.E. Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, H.E. Hage Geingob of Namibia, and H.E. Edgar Lungu of Zambia, gathered on 24-25 June at the Elephant Hills Resort, in Victoria Falls to launch the Wildlife Economy Initiative. The Summit aimed at advancing political and Africans need to take the lead, in partnership with like-minded global community leadership, private organizations, in the conservation agenda on our continent, because it affects all sector know-how and of us directly. Driving conservation will allow us to get the most out of our financial resources for a new continent’s assets, contribute to better management of our agriculture and tourism sectors, and support efforts to mitigate climate change. vision of pan-African H.E. President Paul Kagame, conservation that delivers Former Chair of the African Union sustainable economic benefits to national governments and local communities. Among issues that dominated the discussions, through the heads of states dialogue, private panel discussions to keynote speeches by invited speakers, were the need for Africa’s wildlife economy initiative to (i) assure rights to benefits for local communities though relevant laws, (ii) institute proper structures that ensure equitable distribution of benefits accrued from the wildlife economy, (iii) promote proper governance through elaborate transparent and accountable processes, systems and institutions, (iv) ensure participation by all in decision making, (v) develop regulatory framework that attract private sector investment, (vi) calls for development partners to enhance condition that encourage private sector investment and catalyse financing options for conservation of natural resources. A series of sessions were designed to exchange key messages between heads of state and ministers of government and a pool of private sector leaders, key guest speakers, and panellists covering a broad spectrum of issues related to the wildlife economy. Photo of heads of State present at the Summit Introduction and Opening Remarks In her introductory remarks, UNEP’s Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Joyce Msuya noted that wildlife and wild space will only survive when people derive benefit from co-existence. The Wildlife Economy Initiative, she underscored, presents a robust framework necessary to expand opportunities for transboundary sharing of wildlife resources. H.E Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, through his opening statement underscored that the Wildlife Economy must seek to explore innovative ways to leverage wildlife resources to reduce poverty, create jobs, especially for women and conserve biodiversity and wildlife spaces. This, he said would be achieved through (i) Expanding Tourism opportunities, (ii) Enhancing protection of endangered species, (iii) ensuring sustainable “use” of wildlife resources and spaces and (iv) while addressing direct and indirect threats for sustained wildlife economy: such as Human Wildlife Conflict, Poaching and illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife resources, Climate Change etc. He further remarked that Wildlife Economy would be a major contributor to achieving Zimbabwe’s vision to become middle income country by year 2030. 2 Youth Perspectives Session: Sparking New Ideas: The Future we want for Africa’s People and Wildlife While sharing their life experiences, a select number of youths presented their perspectives on how to effectively connect young people
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