THE SIGNING OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE !AI-!AIS/RICHTERSVELD TRANSFRONTIER PARK

1
THE SIGNING OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY FOR THE
ESTABLISHMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE
!AI-!AIS/RICHTERSVELD TRANSFRONTIER PARK
2
INTRODUCTION

• Negotiations for the establishment, development
  and management of the !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld
  Transfrontier Park started six years ago.
• In October 2000 Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa and
  his Namibian counterpart Minister Malima signed a
  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) providing a
  political support and framework for the
  initiative to move forward

3
INTRODUCTION..Continued

• Since the MoU came into effect, several
  negotiation processes have taken place inside
  South Africa with relevant stakeholders and
  government departments, as well as with the
  government of Namibia.
• Stemming from those negotiations a treaty on the
  establishment, development and management of
  !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park has been
  signed by Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Sam Nujoma
  on 1 August 2003, in Windhoek, Namibia.

4
INTRODUCTION..Continued

• The !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
  (ARTFP) is 6.222km² in extent, with 39 in South
  Africa and 61 in Namibia.
• The Transfrontier Park spans some of the most
  spectacular scenery of the arid and the desert
  environment in Southern Africa.
• It comprises the !Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park in
  Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park in
  South Africa.

5
INTRODUCTION..Continued

• This arid zone is further characterized by a
  unique and impressive variety of Succulent plant
  species, which makes the transfrontier park an
  undisputed biodiversity Hot spot .

6
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TREATY ON THE
ESTABLISHMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE
!AI-!AIS/RICHTERSVELD TRANSFRONTIER PARK
7
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TREATY SHALL BE TO

• Foster trans-national collaboration and
  co-operation between Namibia and South Africa
  which will facilitate effective ecosystem
  management in the area comprising the
  Transfrontier Park.
• Promote alliances in the management of natural
  and cultural resources by encouraging social,
  economic, responsible tourism and partnerships
  between the two countries, including the Private
  Sector, local communities and non-governmental
  organizations.

8
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE TREATY SHALL BE
TO..continued

• Enhance ecosystem integrity and natural
  ecological processes by harmonizing environmental
  management procedures across the boundaries.
• Facilitate the establishment and maintenance of
  sustainable sub-regional economic base through
  appropriate development frameworks, strategies
  and work plans.
• Establish mechanism to facilitate the exchange of
  technical, scientific, economic and legal
  information for the joint management of the
  ecosystem.

9
The implementation of the treaty..Continued

• Signing of the treaty heralds the beginning of
  the implementation of this initiative.
• The implementation shall be done through the
  establishment of the Bilateral Ministerial
  Committee which shall be responsible for the
  overall policy guidance in the management of the
  Transfrontier Park
• Joint Management Board (JMB) which shall be
  responsible for the development and
  implementation of Joint Management and Integrated
  Tourism plans.

10
The implementation of the treatyContinued

• The JMB shall consist of Namibian and South
  African officials including Community
  Representative in the case of South Africa.

11
Conditions and potential of the area

• The Communities living around the
  !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
  currently face high levels of poverty,
  unemployment, inadequate basic services and
  limited infrastructure
• The scaling down of the mining operations is
  worsening the situation.

12
Conditions and potential of the areaContinued

• The development of the !Ai-!Ais/Richtersveld
  Transfrontier Park has a potential to create
  sustainable economic growth for the region
  through investments in tourism infrastructure
  development and promotion of desert tourism by
  linking Richtersveld National Park to !Ai-!Ais
  Hot Spring Game Park which attracts an estimated
  number of 65 000 tourist per annum.

13
Conditions and potential of the areaContinued

• The !Ai-!Ais Hot Spring Game Park has well
  developed tourism facilities with capacity to
  accommodate 146 overnight visitors, whereas, the
  Richtersveld National Park has limited
  accommodation, which amount to ten beds Arid
  Guest Cottage and three camping sites
  accommodating maximum of six persons per site.
• As part of the implementation of tourism strategy
  the Department of Environmental Affairs and
  Tourism has, through its Poverty Relief Programme
  allocated R27,260,000 towards tourism
  infrastructure development

14
Conditions and potential of the areaContinued

• The allocated funds are part of a broader
  Government objective to alleviate poverty,
  through improving tourism potential by creating
  necessary facilities.
• One of the main challenges associated with the
  implementation of the Transfrontier Park, is the
  rehabilitation of diamond mining areas on both
  sides of the Orange River.