Official launch of the EU-funded project “Green Growth for KAZA: "Leveraging KAZA’s Natural Capital and Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Socio-Economic Development."

Posted on November, 14 2025

The Kavango Zambezi Trans Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) Secretariat and partners, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Sustainable Finance Coalition (SFC) have officially launched the EU-funded project “Green Growth for KAZA: Leveraging KAZA’s Natural Capital and Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Socio-Economic Development,” on the side lines of the Africa Biodiversity Summit being held in Gaborone, Botswana from 2-5 November.

The launch was officiated by Botswana’s Minister of Environment and Tourism, Hon. Wynter Mmolotsi and also attended by AU Commissioner- H.E. Moses Vilakati and EU Ambassador to Botswana and SADC– H.E. Petra Pereyra.

The four-year EUR 5 million project is part of the EU NaturAfrica support to the KAZA TFCA and aims to unlock the vast natural wealth of the KAZA landscape by promoting green growth, sustainable livelihoods, and stronger transboundary governance.

The project will:

- Develop a holistic KAZA Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for coordinated landscape management

- Facilitate the review/update of integrated development plans for the 5 Partner State components and a Master Integrated Development Plan - aligned with the conservation strategy

- Advance green growth through exploring bankable Bankable Nature Solutions (BNS) to boost private and public sector investment and support resilient livelihoods

- Explore sustainable finance solutions and incubate some for purposes of long-term financial sustainability; and

- Support efforts to strengthen the KAZA Secretariat.

Official launch of the EU-funded project “Green Growth for KAZA: Leveraging KAZA’s Natural Capital and Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Socio-Economic Development".