Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata
Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) director of international conservation affairs, Professor Patience Gandiwa, has been reappointed vice chair of the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20).
Prof Gandiwa was appointed at the opening of the global wildlife summit over the weekend.
This is the second time she has taken up the prestigious role, having previously served as vice chair at CoP19 in 2022.
Her renewed mandate is widely seen as a reaffirmation of Africa’s growing authority and influence in international conservation diplomacy.
“I am humbled by the vote of confidence in my ability shown by the Parties to the Convention. It is a monumental task that I will champion to the best of my ability,” Prof Gandiwa said after her appointment.
He appointment comes on the heels of another major milestone. Ahead of CoP20, African union member states unanimously appointed Prof Gandiwa to lead the newly established Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) for Wildlife — the first time Africa enters a CITES Conference speaking with one coordinated voice.
Reflecting on the significance of collective leadership, she said: “It is not all about me, at the end of everything, conservation should be the winner.”
CITES CoP is one of the world’s most critical environmental governance forums. Held every two to three years, it brings together parties to assess global efforts to protect endangered species of wild fauna and flora.
Delegates evaluate the effectiveness of current conservation measures, debate new proposals and consider amendments to the species listings under the CITES appendices.
CoP20 features 114 Agenda items and 51 proposals to amend the appendices — ranging from up-listing and down-listing species to innovative approaches for regulating international wildlife trade.
Africa has already secured consensus on 70 percent of the proposals that will be tabled under Committee 1, marking a defining moment in the continent’s conservation history.
Prof Gandiwa’s reappointment and her leadership of the AGN underscore Africa’s strengthened unity and strategic positioning in shaping global wildlife policies.
Her rise reflects Zimbabwe’s scientific excellence and diplomatic prowess on the international stage.
