NEW: Human-wildlife conflict takes centre stage at Kaza Summit

Leonard Ncube in LIVINGSTONE, Zambia

Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni and Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi have arrived in Livingstone, Zambia, for the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kaza TFCA) Ministers Meeting, which precedes the 2024 Kaza Heads of State Summit set for Friday.

The two ministers will join their counterparts from the Kaza region in deliberations feeding from technical meetings of Permanent Secretaries and technocrats that have been going on as a build-up to the summit.

Issues that have been topical in the discussions include the prevalence of human-wildlife conflict and the need for collaborative efforts to address the challenge.

The need to involve communities in decision-making, conservation management, concerns over the continued ban on trade in wildlife products, an update on stockpiles, the impact of climate change and sustainable financing, among other things, have also been discussed.

The summit is being held under the theme “Leveraging Kaza’s natural capital and cultural heritage resources as catalysts for development of the eco-system”.

It will end on Saturday.